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\    University  of  California. 


FROM   THK    IirJKARV    <   1 

■ )  R'^   F  1^  A  N  C I  S     LIE  B  E  1< 
I  i^K.  roi  uC'^istory  and  Law  in  Columbia  College,  . 

\^   ■- -— - 

V  THK  CUT  Ol- 

MICHAEL     REESE, 

Of  Sa/i  Francisco. 
1S73. 


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QUAKERISM, 

VERSUS 

C  A  li  V  I  N  I  S  M, 

BEING  A  REPLY  TO 

"QUAKERISM  NOT  CHRISTIANITY," 

OR  REASONS  FOR  RENOUNCING  THE  DOCTRINE 

OF    FRIENDS, 

BY      SAMUEL     HANSON     COX,     D.    1). 

Pastor  of  the  Laight-street  Presbyterian  Church,  and  for  twenty  years 
a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 


BY  DAVID  MEREDITH  REESE,  M.  D. 

Of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


N  E  W    Y  O  R  K : 

PRINTED  BY  WM.  A.  MERCEIN,  240  PEARL  STRFF. 
1834. 


-BX  773/ 


"  Kntered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  tiio  year  lf^4,  by  David 
Meredith  Rocse,  in  tlie  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York." 


OF 

.1  O  IIJV     REESE, 

MY  PATERNAL   GKAIVDFATllER,     WHO    LIVED  AND     DIED 
l-\  THE  SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS, 

AN    EXPERIMENTAL    AND     PRACTICAL 

CHRISTIAN; 

THESE  PAGES  ARE 

INSCRIBED, 

BY  HIS  GRANDSON, 

THE  AUTHOR. 


TO 


REA^  SAMUEL  HANSON  COX,  D.  D. 

Pastor  of  the  Laight-street  Presbyterian  Church,  and  for  twenty  years 
a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 

Reverend  Sir, 

The  following  pages  were  commenced 
with  the  intention  of  publication  in  some 
one  of  the  religious  Quarterly  Reviews  of 
the  country,  and  they  would  in  that  case 
have  appeared  anonymously,  and  without 
any  formal  inscription  to  yourself.  The  un- 
expected length  to  which  it  has  seemed 
necessary  to  extend  the  notice  of  your 
voluminous  work,  owing  to  the  multiplicity 
of  topics  on  which  it  was  found  expedient  to 
remark,  has  determined  me  to  change  my 
original  purpose.  This  circumstance  has  led 
me  to  retain  the  character  and  form  of  a 
review,  which  will  be  apparent  to  the  reader, 
and  this  explanation  of  the  reason  of  that 
course,  will  probably  be  satisfactory. 


VI 


As  it  may  be  a  subject  of  curiosity  to 
know  what  has  led  so  humble  an  individual 
as  myself,  to  forsake  the  secure  walks  of 
private  and  professional  life,  and  enter  the 
arena  of  religious  polemics ;  especially  in 
controversy  with  one  so  justly  distinguished 
as  a  scholar  and  a  divine  ;  and  in  vindication 
of  a  religious  society  of  which  I  am  not  a 
member ;  I  take  occasion  to  gratify  it,  as 
such  curiosity  is  both  natural  and  laudable. 
And  to  no  one  does  it  afford  me  more 
pleasure  to  make  this  explanation,  of  the 
motives  and  circumstances  by  which  I  have 
been  influenced,  than  to  yourself.  Reverend 
Sir  ;  since  I  believe  you  are  prepared  from 
kindred  association,  to  appreciate  and  un- 
derstand them,  and  especially  as  I  have  here- 
tofore sincerely  respected  you  for  your 
learning  and  piety,  and  have  always  admired 
your  character  and  talents,  as  an  able  minis- 
ter of  the  gospel,  and  an  eloquent  advocate 
of  the  benevolent  enterprises  of  our  age  and 
country. 

It  has  been  my  lot  in  the  order  of  Divine 
Providence  to  have  descended  by  nativity 
from  early  Friends,  who  fled  from  the  perse- 
cutions of  the  old  world,  for  conscience  sake, 


vu 


and  found  an  asylum  in  Pennsylvania  early 
in  the  last  century.  My  paternal  and  mater- 
nal grand-parents,  being  in  principle  and 
practice  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
until  their  peaceful  departure  for  a  better 
world  ;  and  many  of  my  "  kinsmen  after  the 
flesh"  being  still  of  the  same  persuasion,  I 
have  always  been  intimately  associated  in 
the  feelings  of  my  heart  with  the  Quakers, 
and  have  learned  to  esteem  them  very 
"  highly  in  love  for  their  works'  sake."  In- 
deed, among  the  earliest  recollections  of  my 
infant  years,  the  presence  and  care  of  my 
grand-parents,  who  lived  and  died  in  my 
father's  house,  are  endeared  to  me  by  the 
tenderest  ties.  Their  devotional  piety,  their 
reverence  for  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  espe- 
cially the  genuine  Christianity  of  my  paternal 
grandfather,  so  conspicuous  in  his  life  and 
in  his  death  ;  produced  impressions  and  con- 
victions in  my  youthful  mind  of  the  reality 
of  religion,  which  will  never  be  effaced.  And 
although  my  parents  had  united  with  another 
church,  and  my  father  had  become  a  minis- 
ter of  that  church  before  I  was  born,  yet 
neither  he  nor  my  mother  ever  doubted  the 
genuine  Christianity  of  their   parents,  and 


Vlll 


from  the  evidences  of  their  hfe  and  death, 
there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt,  that  they 
had  embraced  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus, 
and  now  rest  from  their  labors  where  iheir 
works  do  follow  them. 

This  brief  narrative  may  prepare  you  to 
estimate  my  feelings,  when  I  saw  the  title  of 
your  book,  announced  as  having  been  issued 
from  the  press,  and  especially  as  coming  from 
a  source  which  I  had  learned  to  respect  so 
highly.  I  supposed,  indeed,  that  it  was  only 
an  argument  in  favor  of  the  evangelical  views 
of  the  ministry,  sacraments,  <Sz;c.,  held  by  the 
author  in  common  with  my  own  and  other 
denominations,  which  are  distinctly  at  va- 
riance with  the  views  of  Friends  ;  but  still  I 
could  not  feel  reconciled  to  the  title  of  the 
book,  which  affirmed  that  Quakerism  was  not 
Christianity.  Had  it  made  the  same  annun- 
ciation of  Methodism,  or  Presbyterianism,  or 
any  other  system  esteemed  as  evangelical,  I 
could  not  have  been  more  surprised  or 
afflicted,  for  I  had  always  thought  that  among 
the  most  devout  and  piou^  Christians  I  had 
ever  known,  there  were  a  large  proportion, 
firm  believers  in  the  system  of  Quakerism  ; 


and  I  had  witnessed  the  death-beds  of  num- 
bers of  them,  at  whose  feet  I  would  rejoice 
to  be  found  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
And  although  I  had  myself  conscientiously, 
and  from  full  persuasion  of  duty,  united  to 
another  denomination,  yet  it  was  not  because 
I  ever  doubted  that  Quakerism  was  doctrin- 
ally  consistent  with  Christianity;  but  because 
I  believed  I  could  serve  God  and  save  my 
soul,  more  in  accordance  with  my  views  of 
Christianity,  on  some  minor  points  of  doc- 
trine and  practice.  But  I  did  not  take  this 
step,  until  I  had  made  myself  acquainted 
with  the  system  *  of  Quakerism,  by  reading 
their  books,  attending  their  meetings,  and 
habitual  converse  with  numbers  of  my  rela- 
tives and  friends  of  that  persuasion,  whose 
genuine  Christianity  I  never  doubted. 

No  sooner,  however,  did  I  see  this  work 
announced,  than  I  eagerly  procured  a  copy, 
and  read  it  throughout  with  emotions  of  a 
most  painful  description.  For  I  very  soon 
perceived  that  the  tenets  and  usages  v/hich 
distinguish  Friends  from  every  other  people, 
were  not,  as  I  had  expected,  the  principal 
subjects  of  the  censures  of  the  volume  ;  but 


that  their  virtues  and  excellencies,  though 
admitted  to  be  such,  were  either  deteriorated 
by  the  imputation  of  bad  motives,  or  pro- 
nounced but  "  a  specious  substitute"  for  the 
religion  of  the  Bible.  And  what  afflicted 
me  still  more  was  the  fact,  that  what  you  call 
the  "  Grand  Error"  of  the  system,  I  had 
always  esteemed,  and  do  still  regard,  as  but 
another  name  for  one  of  the  grand  and  dis- 
tinguishing features  of  our  holy  religion,  and 
an  integral  part  of  Bible  Christianity.  This 
led  me  to  re-peruse  the  standard  works  of 
Quakerism,  to  see  whether  the  doctrine  of 
"  inward  light,"  as  held  and  taught  by  them, 
could  be  either  "  mystical  or  heretical."  And 
the  result  of  my  careful  revision  of  those 
works,  was  the  full  confirmation  of  my  for- 
mer convictions,  that  by  the  declaration  that 
"  God  hath  given  to  every  man  a  measure  of 
saving  and  sufficient  supernatural  light  and 
grace,"  Friends  mean  nothing  more  or  less 
than  this : — that  by  the  atonement  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  every  man  is 
placed  in  a  state  of  initial  salvatio7i,  and  they 
therefore  believes  according  to  the  scriptures, 
that  it  is  possible  for  every  man  to  be  saved, 
who  "  fears  God  and  works  righteousness," 


XI 


according  to  the  measure  of  light  with  which 
he  is  favored.  x\nd  believing  this  to  be  a 
doctrine  clearly  revealed  in  the  word  of  God, 
and  cordially  embraced  by  a  large  propor- 
tion of  enlightened  Protestants,  I  was  sur- 
prised that  it  should  be  assailed  by  any 
Christian  minister,  and  still  more  so,  when 
I  saw  the  perverted  view  you  had  taken  of 
it,  by  which  you  have  been  led  to  proclaim 
your  opposition  in  terms  of  opprobrium  and 
bitter  reproach. 

As  I  progressed  in  the  perusal  of  your 
book,  I  saw  most  clearly  that  you  take  occa- 
sion to  exhibit  the  distinctive  features  of  Cal- 
vinism on  almost  every  page,  and  contrasting 
these  with  what  you  are  pleased  to  call  the 
"  heresies  and  forgeries"  of  Quakerism,  you 
include  in  your  censorious  criticism  "  all 
other  Armiiiians  ;^'^  and  labor  to  brand  us  all, 
with  the  mark  of  "  mystics  and  heretics"  who 
do  not  hold  heartily  the  peculiarities  of  that 
"  one  system"  which  you  call  the  identity  of 
Christianity,  and  of  which  you  are  pleased 
authoritatively  to  say,  "  Moreover  it  is  eter- 
nal TRUTH  !"  Indeed,  had  your  principal 
and  only  object  in  this  publication  been  to 


xu 


controvert  the  errors  of  Quakerism  distinct- 
ively, and  had  you  not  had  subordinate  ob- 
jects beside  this  ostensible  one,  any  reader 
will  see  that  your  book  would  have  been  less 
than  one-third  of  its  present  size.  Your  pro- 
lixity and  verbosity  is,  therefore,  obviously 
attributable  to  the  fact,  that  you  expected 
while  aiming  overtly  at  the  errors  of  Quaker- 
ism, to  put  forth  your  own  peculiar  views, 
and  exhibit  these  as  the  very  personification 
of  Christianity,  in  contrast  with  every  other 
system,  and  especially  with  that  of  "  all  other 
Arminians."  Witness  your  labored  defence 
of  predestination,  and  your  exposition  of  the 
doctrines  of  original  sin,  imputed  righteous- 
ness, limited  atonement,  and  the  influences 
of  the  Spirit,  as  held  and  taught  by  the  Cal- 
vinistic  divines  of  the  last  and  present  cen- 
tury. In  truth,  no  man  who  reads  your  book 
throughout,  whatever  m«y  be  his  own  creed, 
but  will  be  convinced,  that  sweeping  as  is 
your  denunciation  of  Quakers  and  their  sys- 
tem, you  had  other  and  ulterior  purposes, 
which  were  uppermost  in  all  your  thoughts. 
Hence  the  comparative  brevity  of  the  notice 
you  have  taken  on  many  of  the  points  on 
which  the  system  of  Friends  is  most  vulner- 


Xlll 


able,  in  the  estimation  of  your  own  and  other 
denominations ;  and  the  amplification  in 
which  you  have  indulged  on  other  topics, 
comparatively  of  vastly  inferior  importance, 
in  the  ostensible  subject  to  which  the  stric- 
tures of  the  volume  are  professedly  directed. 

I  have  thus  presented  the  reasons  which 
influenced  me  to  undertake  a  brief  notice  of 
your  work,   and    although    your    sense    of 
honor  may  feel  disappointed,  that  so  hum- 
ble an  individual   should  presume  to  expos- 
tulate with  you,  on  ground  where  you  think 
yourself  invincible  ;  yet  I  am  persuaded,  that 
you  will  be  less  disappointed  even  in   this, 
than  in  finding  so  formidable  a  work,  in  fact 
and  in  form,  suffered  to  pass  to  the  "  tomb 
of  the  Capulets"  unhonored  by  a  reply,  and 
almost  unread  by  those  for  whose  "  benefit" 
it  was  primarily  intended.  And  besides,  I  feel 
it  to  be  as  much  my  "  special  duty"  to  reply 
to  your  book,  as  it  was  your  special  duty  to 
write  it ;  so  that  whatever  may  be  the  esti- 
mate put  upon  the  performance,  I  shall  only 
add,  that  no   presumptuous  views  of  self- 
sufficiency  have  mingled  in  the  effort.     The 
question  is  not,  whether  you  or  I  be  the  abler 

2 


XIV 

controversialist,  else  I  would  most  profoundly 
cower  before  your  superior  erudition,  and 
consummate  skill.  But  the  question  between 
us  is  simply,  whether,  when  Calvinism  and 
Quakerism  are  both  weighed  in  the  balances 
of  the  sanctuary,  and  brought  to  the  touch- 
stone of  Christianity^  as  developed  in  the 
"  oracles  of  God ;"  there  be  in  the  former 
nothing  but  "  Eternal  Truth,"  and  in  the 
latter  nought  but  "  spiritual  sorcery^  presuming 
ignorance  a7id  deceitful  dogmatism,''''  You 
have  distinctly  taken  the  ajirmative  of  this 
question,  and  I  assume  the  negative.  In  the 
following  pages  will  be  found  the  discussion 
so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  and  the  pub- 
lic, including  those  honored  and  honorable 
"  fathers  and  brethren"  to  whom  your  book 
is  inscribed,  may  "  announce  their  award" 
either  "  tacitly"  or  otherwise.  I  think  I  kriow 
what  Quakerism  is  by  early  education,  and  I 
know  full  well,  what  Calvinism  is,  by  having 
been  in  my  youth  spell-bound  in  its  "  peril- 
ous enchantment,"  having  been  long  held 
in  its  cruel  bondage,  until  the  "  unmystical 
verities  of  the  Bible"  dissolved  the  charm ; — 
but  not  until  for  many  long  months  it  had 
"  jeoparded  my  soul."    Ajid  ever  since  the 


XV 


hour  when  I  was  enabled  experimentally  to 
sing  with  the  Psalmist,  "  My  soul  has  es- 
caped, as  a  bird  from  the  snare  of  the  fowler, 
the  snare  is  broken,  and  my  soul  has  es- 
caped," I  have  felt  it  to  be  my  special  duty  to 
do  something  toward  rescuing  my  fellow  sin- 
ners from  so  terrible  and  dangerous  an  error 
as  I  view  that  system  to  be  ; — and  this  duty 
I  have  often  conscientiously  endeavored  to 
discharge,  and  believe  I  have  thus  glorified 
God.  With  my  present  motives,  supremely 
important  to  myself,  I  have  every  reason  to 
be  satisfied,  though  with  the  manner  in  which 
I  have  discharged  tliis  duty,  I  confess  myself 
far  less  content.  Indeed,  such  is  the  vitu- 
perative style  of  your  work,  that  I  may  have 
sometimes  been  as  exceptionably  severe,  as 
I  have  shown  you  to  be,  for  "  Happy  is  he 
who  condemneth  not  himself  in  the  thing 
which  he  alloweth."  On  the  whole,  however, 
I  have  scrupulously  endeavored  to  avoid  giv- 
ing just  cause  of  oflfence,  while  I  have,  at 
the  same  time,  zealously  and  fearlessly  con- 
demned error,  and  maintained  truth ;  and  in 
the  severities  of  my  volume,  whatever  others 
may  do,  you  can  surely  never  complain  ;  for, 
by  contrast  with  your  work  in  this  respect, 


XVI 


I  am  grievously  in  fault.  Nevertheless,  I  feel 
that  a  calm  refutation  of  some  of  the  railing 
accusations  of  your  volume  would  be  highly 
criminal  in  me,  professing  to  be  set  for  the 
defence  of  the  truth. 

For  your  person,  character,  and  high  vo- 
cation, I  feel  nought  but  respect ;  and  as  I, 
too,  "  write  impersonally"  of  your  book,  I 
must  be  regarded  as  attacking  your  tenets, 
not  yourself.  This  distinction  so  frequently 
repeated  in  your  book  will,  I  am  sure,  be 
recognised  by  yourself,  especially  as  you  in- 
vite "  animadversion  from  any  man  on  his 
responsibility  to  God,"  a  sentiment  which  I 
would  fain  keep  ever  in  view.  But  while  I 
disclaim  any  intention  to  assail  you  person- 
ally, even  in  defence  of  those  of  whom  you 
have  become  the  accuser  ;  yet  I  regard  your 
book,  as  legitimately  subject  to  criticism  ; 
and  have,  therefore,  treated  its  erroneous 
doctrines  and  averments,  with  what  I  regard 
merited  condemnation,  and  presented  my  ob- 
jections, both  to  its  matter  and  manner,  with 
the  utmost  frankness,  and  of  this  you  cannot 
justly  complain.  And  I  can  only  say,  with 
you,  that  "  I  do  not  profess  to  be  inspired  or 


xvu 


infallible  ;  and,  being  bound  to  nothing  but 
truth,  if  I  commit  errors,  I  can  confess 
them." 

What  I  have  written,  by  way  of  censure, 
I  am  free  to  avow,  has  been  "  more  in  sor- 
row, than  in  anger  f"^  and,  indeed,  the  spirit 
and  temper,  which  you  have  exhibited 
throughout  the  entire  volume,  have  grieved 
me  not  less,  while  reading  it,  than  while 
offering  this  expostulation  against  it.  And 
I  cannot  but  indulge  the  hope,  that  you 
have  already  regretted  the  bitter  censo- 
riousness  and  indiscriminate  reprobation  of 
Friends  universal,  with  which  your  publica- 
tion is  filled.  Surely,  it  must  now  appear 
to  yourself,  on  a  reperusal  of  your  own  work, 
that  you  could  have  found  out  a  ''  more  ex- 
cellent way"  to  ''  benefit  the  Friends,"  and 
correct  their  errors,  than  by  branding  them 
as  "  cardinal  heretics,  from  the  beginning, 
the  whole  of  them,"  and  then  adding,  that 
"  the  present  orthodox  intend  to  remain  what 
their  fathers  were." 

Suppose,  Reverend  Sir,  that  a  series  of 

volumes,  written  in  the  same  style  as  yours, 
a* 


XVlll 


were  simultaneously  issued  from  the  press, 
bearing  the  following  titles — "  Presbyterian- 
ism  7iot  Christianity," — "  Methodism  not 
Chi-istianity," — "  Episcopalianism  not  Chris- 
tianity :"  and  each  purporting  to  be  written 
by  one  who  had  been  disowned  or  excom- 
municated from  the  sect,  whose  principles 
he  assailed  ;  and  denouncing  these  several 
systems  and  their  votaries,  in  the  same  strain 
of  ridicule,  caricature  and  reproach,  which 
you  have  exhibited  towards  the  system  of 
Quakerism,  and  its  followers  ?  And,  sup- 
pose the  author  of  each  of  these  were  a 
Christian  minister,  "  illustrious  in  the  world, 
in  form  and  gesture  proudly  eminent,"  and 
he  were  to  declare,  that  he  had  rather  "  turn 
atheist  outright,"  than  ''' fellow sliip  any  man," 
who  held  the  system  he  denounced,  or  the 
heresies  he  imputed  to  it  ?  What  a  picture 
of  Christianity  would  it  exhibit  to  the  ene- 
mies of  God  and  all  righteousness  ?  How 
soon  would  the  "  world  be  converted"  by 
such  ministers,  or  the  mouths  of  gainsaying 
infidels  be  stopped,  by  such  publications  ? — 
An  answer  to  these  questions  may  furnish  a 
clue  to  the  effect,  which  your  book  will  pro- 
bably produce,  wherever  it  is  read. 


XIX 


How  much  easier  might  you  have  awarded 
to  the  system  of  Quakerism,  the  influence  it 
has  undeniably  exerted  upon  the  nations  and 
upon  the  world,  in  promoting  "  peace  on 
earth  and  good  will  to  men  ;"  instead  of  in- 
sisting that  the  "  legitimate  fruits  of  the  sys- 
tem" are  "  evil,  only  evil,  and  that  continu- 
ally ?"  Would  it  not  have  been  both  magna- 
nimous and  just,  in  condemning  those  parts 
of  the  system  deemed  erroneous,  to  have 
conceded,  that  by  the  Christian  testimony 
uniformly  borne  by  Friends  against  the  ma- 
nufacture, traffic,  and  use  of  ardent  spirits ; 
the  criminality  and  evils  of  slavery ;  the 
fashionable  dress  and  sinful  amusements  of 
the  world,  dz;c.,  they  had  laid  the  foundation 
on  which  public  opinion  in  the  other  churches 
of  Christ,  had  been  since  elevated  and  puri- 
fied ?  Surely,  your  early  education  among 
Friends  precludes  the  possibility  of  suppos- 
ing you  to  be  ignorant  on  these  and  other 
kindred  topics,  on  which  they  have  been, 
from  the  beginning,  unquestionably  scriptu- 
ral and  right.  And,  indeed,  some  of  their 
excellencies  of  character,  as  peaceable  citi- 
zens, and  worthy  examples  in  the  domestic 
relations,   are   distinctly  admitted  in   your 


XX 


book,  though  not  without  direct  qualifica- 
tion and  deterioration,  as  you  allege  that 
these  excellencies,  only  make  the  system 
worse, — a  "  more  good  looking  forgery,"  and 
even  call  it  a  "  most  holy  looking  device"  of 
the  great  "  sire  of  heresy,"  the  devil. 

Truly,  I  confess  my  astonishment  that  the 
Christian  benevolence,  which  has  charac- 
terized the  Friends  in  every  country,  found 
no  place  in  your  volume ;  to  whatever  motives 
your  prejudices  might  have  ascribed,  their 
deeds  of  heavenly  charity.  Where,  in  this 
or  the  old  world,  have  such  institutions  as 
hospitals,  bettering  houses,  houses  of  refuge, 
asylums  for  the  insane,  and  other  unfortu- 
nates of  our  species,  orphan  asylums,  charity 
schools,  dispensaries,  lying-in  infirmaries, 
&c.,  been  so  diligently  fostered  and  liberally 
sustained  as  by  members  of  the  Society  of 
Friends  ?  And  in  founding,  as  well  as  sus- 
taining these  and  other  heaven-born  chari- 
ties, how  plainly  has  their  disinterestedness 
exhibited  that  they  were  influenced  by  the 
principles  of  their  system — by  that  love  which 
Christianity  alone  inspires.  And  with  such 
facts,  known  to  you  as  they  must  have  been, 


XXI 


I  confess  my  amazement,  that  you  did  not 
pause,  before  you  fulminated  the  anathemas 
of  your  fury  against  "  the  whole  of  them" 
indiscriminately,  as  worthy  of  the  odious 
and  cruel  mark  of  "  heretics."  If  Chris- 
tianity, in  the  estimation  of  the  Judge  of  all 
the  earth,  "  consists  more  in  doing  than  say- 
w^,"  then  we  afhrm  that,  in  the  great  day  of 
retribution,  the  good  works  of  Quakerism 
"  shall  not  lose  their  reward,"  however  un- 
dervalued and  depreciated  here.  I  ask,  then, 
in  view  of  the  facts,  that  some  of  the  proud- 
est monuments  of  the  Christian  benevolence 
of  the  age,  are  the  perpetual  memorials  of 
the  zeal  and  liberality  of  those,  who  made  no 
loftier  pretensions  than  being  "mere  tho- 
rough and  consistent  Quakers,"  how  could 
you  say,  "  If  there  happens  to  be  a  state 
eternal,  such  may  well  wish  they  had  never 
been  born  !"  I  doubt  not,  that  you  felt  all 
the  indignation  you  here  express,  when  you 
wrote  your  book  ; — and  that  you  "  verily 
thought  that  you  ought  to  do,"  and  say  as 
you  have  there  said ;  and,  indeed,  thought 
you  were  "  doing  God  service  ;" — but  that 
you  can  now  calmly  review  your  work  with 
complacency,  or  suppress  a  wish  that  you 


XXII 

had  never  written  it,  I  should  be  most  unwil- 
hng  to  credit.  I  pray,  that  the  "  inshining  of 
the  Divine  Light"  which  you  so  persever- 
ingly  ridicule,  may  discover  to  yourself  the 
persecuting  spirit  of  Saul,  that,  like  him,  you 
may  "  obtain  forgiveness,"  and  no  longer 
"  breathe  out  threatenings  and  slauorhter"  on 
those  who  have  "  received  the  Holy  Ghost 
as  well  as  we."  "  For,  if  a  man  say,  I  love 
God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar." — 
1  John  iv.  20. 

Finally,  in  submitting  to  your  candid  con- 
sideration the  accompanying  reply  to  your 
late  publication,  I  would  especially  direct 
your  attention  to  the  extracts  from  Barclay, 
Penn,  and  other  early  Friends,  and  also  the 
distinct  and  palpable  contradiction  given  to 
your  charges  by  the  testimony  of  Friends, 
called  "  orthodox"  in  America.  And  these 
latter  citations  specially  claim  your  regard, 
since  you  have  so  frequently  aimed  at  the 
orthodox  parti/  distinctively,  your  heaviest 
allegations ;  as  though  you  regarded  "  Hicks- 
ism,"  like  predestination,  as  "  sinned  against, 
not  sinning,"  and  labored  to  strengthen,  not 
weaken  their  supreme  self-complacency  ; — 


XXlll 


while,  at  the  same  time,  you  affirm  of  them,  not 
only  that  they  are  infidels^  but  that  their  "  very 
professions  of  infidelity  are  honorable."  Why 
you  thus  labor  to  ingratiate  yourself  into  the 
favor  of  the  "  Hicksites,"  or,  at  least,  award 
them  superior  comparative  claims  with   the 
other  party,  does  not  clearly  appear ;  though 
the  fact  is  so  manifest  in  various  parts  of  the 
volume.    I  have  said  but  little  with  reference 
to  the  merits  of  the  schism  among  Friends, 
and  only  noticed  the  two  parties,  passingly, 
as  necessary  in  my  review,  though  I  confess 
I  have  been  accustomed  to  feel  a  kindred 
affiliation  with  the   "  orthodox,"  as  they  are 
called ;  and  have  mainly  espoused  their  cause 
as  defensible  ;  because  I  know  they  regard 
Christianity  as  paramount,  and  would  them- 
selves renounce  their  system,  if  they  did  not 
believe  that,  in  the  fundamental  doctrines  of 
the  scriptures,  it  was  strictly  orthodox.    And 
their  boldly  withstanding  the  other  party  in 
their  recent  division,   affords   obvious    and 
conclusive   evidence,  that   they  value  their 
true  pretensions   to  Christianity  so   highly, 
that  they  are  prepared  to  "  suffer  the  loss  of 
all  things,"  rather  than  hold  fellowship  with 
those  who   renounce  its  fundamental   doc- 


XXIV 


trines,  and  yet  claim  the  distirxtive  title  of 
Friends.  This  is  ample  reason  for  my  ar- 
gument in  favor  of  their  claims  to  be  recog- 
nised by  the  other  churches  of  Christ,  in  the 
same  relations  as  the  pious  of  any  other 
Christian  denomination.  And  I  insist  upon 
these  claims  on  the  ground  that  the  points  of 
difference  between  them  and  other  Christian 
churches,  are  unimportant, — nay,  insignifi- 
cant, when  compared  with  those  differences 
among  the  Calvinistic  churches,  which  now 
exist  between  themselves  and  others.  And 
as  I  could  not  consent,  without  uttering  a 
remonstrance,  to  hear  Presbyterians  de- 
nouncing each  other  as  "  damnable  here- 
tics," and  threatening  their  brethren  with 
"  hell  fire,"  because  of  their  differences 
about  original  sin,  depravity,  regeneration, 
&c.,  neither  can  I  assent  to  the  utter  repro- 
bation of  the  Quakers,  because  they  differ 
from  us  all,  on  points  so  essentially  inferior 
in  importance,  the  scriptures  themselves 
being  judges. 

On  the  chief  accusations  you  have  pre- 
sented against  Quakerism,  you  will  perceive 
we  are  palpably  at  issue  ; — ^you  affirm,  and  I 


XXV 


deny,  and  the  arguments  are  now  before  the 
Christian  public,  who  will  estimate  them  as 
they  deserve.  If  the  whole  of  your  most 
heinous  allegations  against  the  system  and 
its  votaries,  are  not  distinctly  and  amply  dis- 
proved, I  confess  my  book  to  be  a  failure. 
With  the  minor  charges  of  erroneous  opin- 
ions and  usages,  on  points  peculiar  and 
"  Quakerian,"  which  involve  no  essential  or 
fundamental  doctrine  of  Christianity,  I  have 
said  but  little  ;  and,  indeed,  I  agree  mainly 
with  you  in  believing  them  indefensible,  else 
I  might  be  a  Friend,  and  probably  should  be. 
I  came  to  this  service,  not  as  an  apologist 
for  error,  but  to  maintain  and  defend  the 
truth  distinctively,  and  Quakerism,  only  so 
far  as  it  is  true.  I  think,  "  I  know  the  sys- 
tem," and  if  so,  of  which  there  are  better 
judges  than  either  of  us,  I  pronounce  it  to 
have  distinctive  marks  of  a  Christian  church  ; 
and  affirm,  that  the  pious,  who  embrace  it, 
may  and  do  give  credible  evidence,  that  they 
are  the  "  children  of  the  light,"  according  to 
the  scriptures,  for  these  are  3IY  "paramount 
authority'^''  in  religion,  as  I  have  proved  them 
to  be,  of  genuine  Quakerism,  and  especially 
of  the  orthodox  in  America.     These  are  mv 


XXVI 


convictions  ;  and  hence  I  say,  to  a  pious 
Quaker,  as  to  a  pious  Calvinist,  "If  thy 
heart  be  right  with  God,  give  me  thy  hand." 
This,  I  take  to  be  the  "  legitimate  fruit"  of 
Christianity.  "  We  know  that  we  have  passed 
from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the 
brethren." — 1  John,  iii.  14. 

Such  are  the  views  with  which  I  formally 
inscribe  this  publication  to   you,  Reverend 
Sir,  and  solicit  your  candid  perusal,  and  de- 
liberate judgment  on  the  whole  performance. 
And  if  my  review  shall  be  read  in  the  spirit 
in  which  it  is  written,  I  am  not  without  hope 
that  it  may  do   good,  perhaps  to  Friends,  if 
not  to  Calvinists  ;  for  I  would  fain  be  useful 
to  either  or  both.     My  predominating  hope 
of  serving  the  cause  of  truth,  I  must  confess, 
is  founded  on  the  expectation  that  you  will 
"  publicly  retract"  the  mistakes  of  which  I 
may  have  convicted  you,   according  to  the 
pledge  you  have  given  to  that  effect.  I  claim 
no  merit  for  the  evidence  these  pages  furnish 
against  the  railing  accusations  of  your  vo- 
lume, for  I  have  only  selected  the  testimo- 
nies of  the  Quaker  authorities,  and  placed 
them   in  contrast  with  your  reckless  asser- 


xxvu 


tions.  And  as  your  confession  of  error  in 
these  respects,  will  be  but  magnanimously  to 
yield  to  "  the  majesty  of  truth,"  I  shall  not 
claim  to  be  the  victor.  Only  let  equal  and 
exact  justice  be  done  to  Quakers,  and  "  all 
other  Arminians,"  and  I  am  content  with  the 
result  of  the  controversy.  This  they  had  a 
right  to  expect  from  you  in  the  present  vo- 
lume ;  but  as  you  have  withheld  it,  I  have  a 
right  to  demand  it.  This  I  have  done  in 
these  pages,  and  should  you  still  withhold  it, 
let  the  Christian  public  form  their  own  esti- 
mate, and  I  shall  be  content. 

With  the  expression  of  my  Christian  re- 
gards for  yourself,  and  my  fervent  prayers 
that  you  may  be  led  to  feel  and  exhibit  a  bet- 
ter spirit  in  future  toward  Friends  and  their 
system,  and  at  the  same  time  renounce  what 
is  erroneous  in  your  own,  I  submit  the  fol- 
lowing strictures  on  your  book  and  its  vo- 
luminous contents. 

THE    AUTHOR. 


TO  THE  READER. 


This  work  having  been  written  amid  the 
mukipKed  avocations  of  a  laborious  profes- 
sion, subject  to  continual  interruptions,  often 
in  the  middle  of  paragraphs,  and  even  sen- 
tences ;  and  the  author  having  had  no  lei- 
sure since  for  satisfactory  revision,  the 
reader  must  excuse  inaccuracies,  in  style  or 
composition,  which  may  have  escaped  cor- 
rection. For  the  facts  it  records,  the  argu- 
ments it  contains,  and  the  sentiments  it 
inculcates,  he  asks  no  indulgence. 


QUAKERISM  vs.  CALVINISM. 


Upon  the  first  public  announcement  of  this  volu- 
minous work,  we  were  struck  with  the  singular 
abruptness,  we  may  say,  censoriousness,  of  its  title. 
It  seemed  like  an  announcement  of  victory  by  a 
flourish  of  drums  and  trumpets  before  the  action  had 
commenced,  or  the  controversy  begun.  And  upon  a 
more  deliberate  review,  it  strikes  us  that  it  would 
have  been  altogether  more  modest  if  the  book  had 
been  entitled,  "  An  attempt  to  pi'ove  that  Quakerism 
is  not  Christianity."  But  instead  of  this  we  find,  on 
the  face  of  the  book,  the  whole  question  decided  by 
a  single  coup  de  main,  "  Quakerism  not  Christianity  T 
as  though  the  author  regarded  this  aphorism  defini- 
tively settled,  and  forever,  on  the  appearance  of 
the  huge  volume,  bearing  this  ex-catliedra  title — as 
though  he  had  commenced  his  work  with  loftier 
views  of  his  literary  and  theological  prowess  and 
acumen,  than  did  the  prince  of  heathen  poets  with 
his  inspiration,  and  varied  his  well  known  apos- 
trophe, thus — 

"  PhcEbe !  abjuro  te,  adeptua  ingreditur  tua  templa  sacQ-dos." 

It  would  seem,  indeed,  and  it  is  just  to  record  that, 
after  writing  277  octavo  pages,  it  did  occur  to  tlie 
3* 


30 

author  that  the  title  of  his  book  required  an 
"  apology ;"  and  he  makes  it  in  the  following 
form  : — 

"  My  chief  proposition  is — that 

'  Quakerism  is  not  Christianity.' 

My  meaning  is — not  that  Quakerism  is,  in  all  its 
parts,  separately  taken,  hostile  to  Christianity ;  nor 
that  it  is  in  none  identical  with  Christianity  ;  nor  that 
in  all  its  parts  it  must  be  repudiated  by  Christians  : 
but  only  that  its  distinctive  characteristics,  major  and 
minort  constitute  a  system  which,  as  such,  is  not 
Christianity — is  radically  wrong  ;  and  consequently 
that  it  ought  to  be  universally  abjured/' 

Thus  he  admits  that  Quakerism,  in  some  of  "  its 
parts,"  is  not  hostile  to  Christianity,  but  is  "  identicaV^ 
with  Christianity  ;  and  that  these  "  parts"  must  not 
be  repudiated  by  Christians,  are  not  radically  wrong, 
and  ought  not  to  be  universally  abjured.  And  yet — 
"  'tis  true  a  pity,  and  pity  'tis,  'tis  true,"  that  on  the 
165th  page  he  had  completely  "nullified"  this  apo- 
logy, and  celebrated  his  own  inconsistency  by  the 
following  significant  paragraph,  and  sacerdotal  ad- 
juration : — 

"  If  any  one  accuse  me  here  of  actually  hating 
Quakerism,  I  beg  he  will  never  attempt  to  prove  his 
position,  as  it  is  wholly  unnecessary.  My  confession 
shall  forestal  him  :  I  certainly  do  hate  it ; — by  all  the 


31 

hope  of  heaven  that  I  cherish  consciously  in  Christ 
Jesus,  at  this  moment,  I  ahhor  it ;  by  all  the  sense 
I  have  of  what  Christianity  is,  and  what  the  scrip- 
tures mean,  and  what  men  infinitely  need,  in  order 
to  salvation,  I  renounce  and  execrate  it ;  and  make  it 
a  part  of  my  piety  to  detest  it,  as  a  composition  of 
spiritual  sorcery,  presuming  ignorance,  and  deceitful 
dogmatism  ;  offensive  to  heaven,  and  deleterious  to  the 
noblest  hopes  of  men,  in  *  the  life  that  now  is,  and 
also  that  which  is  to  come.'  " — Thus  it  will  be  per- 
ceived, that  by  this  awful  asseveration,  the  author 
"  hates,  abhors,  execrates,  and  detests,  as  a  part  of  his 
piety,  a  system  which  he  confesses  in  some  of  its 
"  parts"  is  "  identical  with  Christianity."  And  though 
it  has  parts  thus  "  identical  with  Christianity," — yet, 
in  analyzing  it,  he  proclaims  it  to  be  a  "  composi- 
tion" of  "  sorcery,  presumption,  and  deceit,"  these 
being,  of  course,  the  only  constituent  parts  of  the 
"  composition"  of  Quakerism,  thus  subjected  to  ana- 
lysis ;  unless,  indeed,  those  parts  of  the  system,  con- 
fessedly "  identical  with  Christianity,"  have  been 
volatilized  by  the  heat  of  his  crucible,  or  remain  in 
the  caput  mortuum,  precipitated  by  the  haste  and  vio- 
hnce  of  ihe  fiery  process.  This,  however,  is  only  a 
single  instance  of  the  inconvenience,  resulting  from 
giving  so  formidable  a  title  to  a  book,  befor^e  it  is 
written;  seeing  that  it  imposes  upon  the  author,  the 
arduous  task,  of  conforming  his  book  to  its  name ; 
instead  of  adapting  a  name  to  the  book,  after  its  con- 
tents have  been  determinately  settled.  "  Let  not  him 
glory  that  putteth  on  the  armor,  as  he  that  layeth  it 
off,"  is  alike  the  dictate  of  wisdom,  as  of  inspiration. 


32 

But  our  objection  to  the  name  of  the  book  is  radi- 
cal and  sentimental,  apart  from  the  arrogance  it 
indicates — a  characteristic,  which  is  singularly  and 
lamentably  apparent  on  almost  every  page.  For 
the  autlior  places  Quakerism  and  Christianity  in 
direct  opposition,  and  thus  uncandidly  insinuates, 
that  Friends  regard  their  system  as  not  merely  iden- 
tical with  Christianity,  but  "  the  identity  itself," 
and  erect  the  edifice  of  Quakerism,  as  distinct  from 
and  in  lieu  of  Christianity.  Hence,  having  built  this 
"  man  of  straw,"  he  boldly  assails  him  with  Quixotic 
bravery,  and  then,  when  he  has  overcome  the  giant 
and  prostrated  his  windmill,  he  adds,  with  oracular 
gravity,  "  My  practical  inference  is,  that  Quakerism 
ought  to  be  universally  abjured,  and  the  scriptures 
universally  received  as  the  superlative  substitute." 
H«re  then  we  have  the  disingenuous  affirmation, 
that  Quakerism  is  regarded  by  its  votaries,  as  a  suh- 
stitute  for  Christianity  and  the  scriptures.  We  say, 
it  is  disingenuous  and  uncandid,  thus  to  treat  any 
system,  whether  we  love  or  hate  it,  and  especially 
for  a  theologian,  professing  the  investigation  and  de- 
fence of  the  truth,  and  disclaiming  all  weapons  but 
such  as  belong  to  "  the  ethereal  armor  of  the  Al- 
mighty." Where,  from  the  writings  of  Fox,  Penn,  or 
Barclay,  the  triple  antagonists  whom  he  selects  as 
the  champions  of  Quakerism,  does  the  author  learn 
thatFriends  hold  their  system  to  be  in  lieu  of,  or  as 
a  substitute  for  Christianity  ?  We  affirm  that  no  such 
sentiment  can  be  legitimately  drawn  from  the  writ- 
ings of  either ;  nor  however  Friends  may  have  re- 
garded their  system   as  identical  with  Christianity, 


there  has  never  been  one  of  their  accredited  writers 
who  has  pretended  that  Quakerism,  as  a  system,  is 
**  THE  IDENTITY  ITSELF;"  or  that  there  ever  was, 
or  can  be,  a  substitute  for  the  sacred  system  of 
Christianity. 

So  far  from  it,  it  is  this  veiy  pretension  to  exchi- 
siveness  in  existing  sects,  against  which  their  "  in- 
ward light"  protests.  This  is  the  precise  objection 
they  have  to  Calvinism,  that  it  purports  to  be  "  the 
identity  itself  ^^ — a  substitute  for  Christianity ;  while 
they  believe  it  to  be  a  human  system,  distinct  from 
and  at  variance  with  Christianity,  and  one  for  which 
the  world  is  indebted  to  Papal  St.  Augustine,  and  is 
a  legitimate  fruit  of  the  "  mother  of  abominations," 
having  been  nurtured  in  her  bosom,  until  it  inherited 
her  infallibility  ;  and  now  vainly  presumes  to  "  lord 
it  over  God's  heritage,"  as  though  by  authority  of 
"  Peter's  chair  at  Rome,  in  which  he  never  sat,"  in 
the  lanci^uaore  of  our  author  ;  or  fulminated  its  ana- 
themas  direct  from  our  "  Lord  God,  the  Pope." 

For  ourselves,  we  confess  we  have  never  regarded 
Quakerism  to  be  Christianity — the  identity  itself;  nor 
do  we  believe  that  sanity  could  accept  the  truth  of 
this  proposition  in  reference  to  any  other  ism,  Calvin- 
ism or  Presbyterianism  not  excepted.  The  sacred 
system  of  Christianity  is  a  divine  unit,  supremely 
above  every  thing  else,  and  infinitely  beyond  every 
other  "  identity"  in  the  universe  of  God.  And  he, 
vfho  would  propose  a  human  substitute  for  this  di- 


34 

vine  institution,  is  guilty  of  treason  against  Jehovah — 
is  a  rebel  against  the  system  and  its  Omnipotent 
Author ;  and  deserves,  as  he  will  receive,  if  he  repent 
not,  the  eternal  anathema  of  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth, 
To  write  a  book,  therefore,  to  show  that  Quakerism 
is  not  Christianity  in  the  exclusive  sense  contemplated 
by  the  author,  is  an  argumentum  ad  absurdum,  and  a 
refutation  of  such  pretension,  if  made  by  this  or  any 
other  "  i5m,"  would  be  unworthy  of  idiotic  talents. 

But  once  more,  in  attempting  to  reason  against 
Quakerism  as  a  system  of  religion,  or  one  professedly 
so,  common  justice  required  that  their  standard  au- 
thorities, and  acknowledged  doctrines  of  faith  and 
practice,  should  be  selected  as  the  theme  of  animad- 
version, and  there  are  peculiar  reasons  why  this 
course  was  to  have  been  expected  from  the  author  of 
the  work  before  us.  Instead  of  which,  however,  we 
find  him  declaring  as  a  reason  for  seldom  giving  his  au- 
thority for  his  allegations  against  Quakerism,  "  I  shall 
not  encumber  these  pages  with  unnecessary  proofs 
or  quotations.  I  know  the  system,  and  I  have  read 
and  studied  many  of  their  standard  books,  particularly 
Barclay's  Apology ^  which  I  have  often  read,  and  have 
recently  and  thoroughly  reperused."  And  although 
quotations  "  few  and  far  between"  from  the  works  of 
Fox,  Penn,  and  Barclay,  are  introduced,  yet  only 
detached  sentences,  andjoar/sof  sentences  are  insert- 
ed, and  these  with  "note  and  comment,"  such  as  the 
authors,  if  living,  would  loudly  disclaim.  And  when 
he  does  speak  of  their  yearly  epistles  and  other  pub- 


35 

lie  documents,  he  is  constrained  to  admit  that  these  • 
are  "  generally  both  more  correct  and  less  excep- 
tionable every  way,  than  their  primitive  and  standard 
writings  ;  yet  he  undervalues  these  by  calling  them 
"  only  the  symbols  which  they  show"  and  affirms  that 
"  they  are  much  better  than  one  in  twenty  of  their 
members,  either  knows,  thinks,  or  feels^  And  then 
having  "  sketched  an  outline"  of  what "  Quakerism  is 
in  its  best  features,"  and  one  which  is  utterly  at 
variance  with  these  yearly  epistles  and  other  public 
documents,  he  insists]  upon  his  own  exposition  of 
what  Quakerism  is,  because  he  "  knows  /"  And  it 
seems  he  also  knows,  what  nineteen  twentieths  of  the 
Friends  do  and  do  not  "  know,  think,  and  feel,"  p.  215. 

To  show  in  a  clear  light  what  justice  is  awarded  by 
our  author,  to  the  published  documents  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  extract  a  few  sentences 
from  the  brief  notice  he  takes  of  a  late  publication, 
entitled  "  An  Exposition  of  the  Faith  of  the  religious 
Society  of  Friends,  commonly  called  Quakers,  in  the 
fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Christian  Religion,  prin- 
cipally selected  from  their  early  writings,  by  Thomas 
Evans." 

After  stating  from  his  knowledge  of  the  author  and 
his  family,  that  he  sincerely  respects  them  for  "  their 
singular  intelligence,  and  comparative  deference 
for  the  scriptures,  in  which  they  seem  to  go  farther 
than  others,  and  perhaps  as  far  as  they  can,  with  the 
perilous  enchantment"  of  Quakerism  about  them,  he 
adds  : 


36 

"  The  Exposition  contains  232  citations  from  early 
Friends,  to  prove  '  that  they  sincci-eJy  believed,  and 
openly  avowed   the  great  fundamental  truths   of  the 
Christian  religion.''     It  is  pubhshcd  under  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  Society  by   their  assembled  representa- 
tives." "  It  appears  to  me,  and  it  v^^ould  be  affectation 
to  imply,  that  I  did  not  think  myself  a  judge  in  such 
things, — to  be  the  very  best  manifesto  of  the  views  in 
seeming  approximation  to  catholic  orthodoxy,   that  I 
have  ever  seen,  or  which  I  believe  it  possible  to  com- 
pile or  select  from  the  writings  of  their  authors."  And 
now  after  this  high  commendation  of  the   author,  his 
family,  and  his  book,  one  could  hardly  be   prepared 
for  the  following  judgment  of  this  "  Exposition,"  from 
the  same  pen.     "  It  proves,  however,  that  in  their  be- 
lief, they  have  been   cardinal  heretics  y?'om  the  he- 
ginning,  the    whole  of  them  ! — and  that  the  present 
'  orthodox'  intend  to  remain  what  iheiv  fathers  were.'' 

By  this  brief  extract  from  among  many,  it  is 
apparent  that  the  author  of  the  work  before  us  con- 
tends against  the  yearly  epistles  and  other  public 
documents,  which  he  calls  "  the  master  pieces  of  the 
Society  ;" — and  even  against  the  testimony  of  the 
Society  by  their  assembled  representatives ; — and 
the  232  citations  from  early  Friends  contained  in  this 
"  Exposition"  all  affirming  that  they  sincerely  believe 
and  openly  avow  the  great  fundamental  truths  of  the 
Christian  religion; — that  "the  whole  of  them  are 
cardinal  heretics  r  and  that  Quakerism  is  not  what 
these  authorities  say  it  is,  but  what  he    ''knows''  it  to 


37 

be,  and  adds  "  it  would  be  affectation  to  imply  that  I 
o  not  think  myself  a  judge  in  such  things." 

Now  we  conceive,  with  all  deference,  that  to  treat 
any  society  thus  is  unkind,  uncandid,  ungenerous,  and 
to  use  great  "  plainnoss  of  speech,"  unchristian,  even 
if  that  society  be,  composed  of   ^' cardinal  heretics.'^ 
If  the  system  of  Calvinism,  v.hich  the  author  absolutely 
regards   as  Christianity    personified,    the    '-  identity 
itself,"  were  to  be  thus  treated,  he  would  be  among  the 
first  to  repel  and  contemn  so  unjust  an  adversary. 
Shall  I  insist  because  I  was  "  brought  up  a  Calvinist 
until  I  was   "  20  years  old,"    and  such  is  the  faith  of 
"  my  kinsmen  after  the  flesh ;"  that  therefore  I "  know'' 
what  Calvinism  is,  better  than  their  "standard  authors 
or  published  documents,  issued  under  the  sanction  of 
their    assembled   representatives  ?"    And  shall  I  call 
such   official  annunciations  of  the  faith  and  practice 
of  Calvinists,  "  only  the  symbols  which  they  show," 
and  authoritatively  assert  that  they  are  "  better  than 
one  in  twenty  of  their  members  either  knows,  thinks, 
or  feels  ?"    And  in  opposition  to  their  often  repeated 
declarations,  that  they  sincerely  believe  and  openly 
avow  the  great  fundamental  truths  of  the  Chi  istian 
religion  shall  I  gain  public  confidence  by  asseverating 
that  they  are,  "  from  the  beginning,  the  whole  of  them, 
cardinal  heretics  ?"    I  might  be  deemed  an  adept  in 
honest  hluntness,  by  some  who  measure  the  success 
of  a  polemic,  by  his  vociferous  declamation  ;  but  I 
should  forfeit   all  pretensions  among  the  intelligent 
and  candid,  either  to  honest  logic,  or  logical  honesty. 
4 


88 

1  might  thus  hope  for  success  in  making  infidels,  but  it 
would  be  impious  to  expect  thereby  to  make  Chris- 
tians, or  converts,  either  to  Calvinism  or  Quakerism,  if 
either  be  "  the  identity"  of  Christianity. 

We  hold  it  to  be  unworthy  disingenuousness  in  a 
religious  polemic,  in  examining  and  criticizing  the  or- 
thodoxy of  another,  to  attribute  to  him  consequences 
which  we  deduce  from  his  premises  or  opinions,  when 
he  distinctly  disavows  those  consequences.  And  when 
we  prove  that  any  doctrine  necessarily  draws  absurd 
and  mischievous  consequences  after  it,  we  are  re- 
quired both  by  candor  and  charity  to  do  those  who 
hold  it  the  justice  to  believe,  that  they  do  not  see  the 
necessary  connection  of  such  consequences,  with  their 
principles.  And  we  are  bound  to  hope  that  they  de- 
test those  consequences  when  they  resolutely  disclaim 
them.  But  how  different  is  the  course  of  this  author, 
who  is  not  content  wath  asseverating  that  "  Quakerism 
is  not  Christianity" ;"  but  will  infer  that  Friends  know 
the  truth  of  this  asseveration,  and  love  the  former  he- 
cause  they  hate  the  latter.  Hence  it  is,  that  he  affirms, 
**  In  this  country,  Friends  are  at  this  day,  mainly,  I 
fear,  a  community  of  infidels, — only  they  would  have 
us  think,  that  they  love  Christianity." 

We  may  affirm,  that  we  could  not  believe  either 
Quakerism  or  Calvinism  ourselves,  without  abjuring 
Christianity  ;  and  we  may  offer  logical  reasons,  why 
the  reception  of  either  of  these  systems,  as  a  whole, 
would  on  our  part  be  a  renunciation  of  the  "truth  as 


39 

it  is  in  Jesus."  But  however  sincere  we  may  be  in 
the  affirmation,  and  however  clear  be  the  process  of 
ratiocination  by  which  these  results  are  deducible  to 
our  mind,  we  have  ^no  right,  either  logical  or  theolo- 
gical, to  denounce  the  systems  in  toto  as  "another 
gospel :"  and  to  do  so,  is  on  our  part  presumptuous 
arrogance  and  folly.  Our  author  may  say  justly,  that 
he  could  not  be  a  Friend,  with  his  views  of  Quakerism, 
and  at  the  same  time  be  a  Christian  ;  but  by  whose 
authority  dare  he  sit  in  judgment  on  his  fellows,  and  de- 
nounce the  system  as  essentially  anti-Christian,  as  he 
does  in  the  title  of  his  book,  and  as  a  forgery  and  heresy? 
as  he  does  in  unmeasured  terms  of  opprobrium,  censor- 
riousness,  and  bitterness,  throughout  its  voluminous 
contents  ?  It  is  in  vain  to  say  that "  we  write  wiperson- 
ally  of  the  system"  for  the  author  well  knows,  that  if  we 
show  that  "  Calvinism  is  not  Christianity,"  his  preten- 
sions to  the  character  he  holds  are  vain,  and  his  hope 
of  heaven  and  personal  salvation,  built  as  it  obviously 
is  upon  that  system,  is  but  "  sorcery,  dogmatism,  and 
deceit." 

And  here  we  take  occasion  to  object  to  the  state- 
ment on  the  title  page,  that  the  author  was  "  for  20 
years  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends,"  for  he 
afterwards  says  that  it  was  "  m  the  twentieth  year  of 
his  age"  that  he  was  "  divorced  from  their  commu- 
nion, and  edified  in  utter  detestation  of  their  dreamy 
tenets,"  and  "  abjured  them  for  ever  ;"  and  we  find 
it  not  easy  to  reconcile  these  incongruous  statements. 
If  it  was  "i%  the  twentieth  year  of  his  age"  that  he 
thus  "  abjured  them  forever,"  it  is  plain  that  he  was 


40 

not  a  member  for  20  years,  unless  he  had  a  "  birth- 
right" before  he  icas  born  !  Besides,  he  has  left  those 
who  know  nothing  of  his  age,  to  suppose  him  to  have 
renonnced  the  doctrines  of  Friends,  after  having  been 
a  member  on  "  convincement"  for  20  years  ;  instead 
of  ingenuously  stating  the  fact,  that  this  20  years  in- 
cludes his  infancy  and  minority  only,  when  it  would 
have  been  clear  to  his  readers,  that  for  more  than  half 
that  time  he  was  mcapable  of  knowings  much  less 
"  renouncing''  them.  And  when  he  speaks  of  "  what 
a  triumph  it  is,  for  an  educated  Friend"  to  come  out 
from  among  them,  we  marvel  that  he  did  not  frankly 
avow,  that  himself,  as  well  as  other  members  of  his 
family  were  "  educated  Friends''  only  by  the  courtesy 
of  "  Friends"  in  their  school  at  Westown,  near  Phila- 
delphia, though  we  confess  it  would  have  illy  comport- 
ed with  the  spirit  and  temper  he  has  exhibited  towards 
"  Friends  universal,"  and  might  have  reminded  us  of 
a  certain  fable  of  ^sop,  which  need  not  be  named. 

Having  thus  noticed  the  title  of  this  work,  and 
briefly  presented  our  objections  to  its  name  and  bear- 
ing, the  next  feature  in  this  remarkable  volume  is  its 
dedication  and  introduction.  The  inscription  is  to 
twenty-five  reverend  clergymen  of  kindred  Calvinistic 
faith,  each  of  whom  has  the  "  semilunar  fardels"  of 
D.  D.  wdth  other  lofty  titles,  affixed  to  his  cognomen, 
as  a  demonstration  of  the  sincerity  of  the  author's 
abjuration  of  Quakerism  ;  and  probably  as  an  act  of 
repentance  for  one  "  deed  of  Quakerism"  committed 
since  his  baptism  and  ordination  ;  and  which  he  had 


41 

before  publicly  recanted.  Whether  these  are  all  the 
D.  D's  in  the  country  whom  he  recognizes  as  ''fathers 
and  brethren,''  and  whether  this  title,  once  despised, 
but  now  "  burned  into  him"  by  kindred  association, 
is  essential,  in  order  that  any  of  his  ministerial 
brethren  should  be  addressed  by  these  venerated  and 
affectionate  titles,  does  not  appear.  It  is,  however, 
somewhat  remarkable  that  all  these  twen^ty-five'D.  D's 
should  be  selected,  while  there  are  so  many  venerable 
and  respectable  clergymen,  of  the  same  denomina- 
tions who  have  not  received  this  high  collegiate  dis- 
tinction, and  who  are,  without  recognition  among  the 
author's  "  Fathers  and  Brethren." 

The  reasons  for  thus  inscribing  the  work  to  so 
many  reverend  patrons,  are  given  tlius  :  because,  "  I 
suppose  there  is  a  oneness  of  theological  sentiment 
among  you,  in  which  I  may  account  myself  humbly 
to  participate  ;"  and  "It  is  certain  moreover,  that  your 
concurrence  in  reprobating  the  errors  of  the  Quakers 
is  in  the  main  entire.  I  consider  you  therefore  as  repre- 
senting the  common  creed  of  Christendom  or  rather  of 
all  enlightened  Protestants  in  opposition  to  the  system 
of  Friends.  I  consider  you  as  constituting  for  the 
time  a  moral  court,  before  whom  I  may  plead  the 
cause  of  truth  ; — and  whose  award,  whether  tacitly 
or  formally  announced,  the  Christian  public  will  re- 
spect, I  doubt  not,  as  well  advised,  principled,  and 
unanimous ;  for  in  such  a  case,  it  is  not  learning, 
piety,  and  independence,  that  wavers  or  quails  to 
human  prejudice." 

4* 


4^ 

Whether  this  moral  court  have  tacitly  announced 
their  award,  unanimously  or  otherwise,  we  have  not 
learned;  though  it  may  be  difficult  for  the  "  Christian 
public  to  respect"  it,  until  they  shall  know  what  it  is  ; 
and  for  this  purpose  it  will  perhaps  be  necessary  to 
**  announce"  it,  ''formally''  as  wxll  as  "  tacitly ^  It 
will  be  a  safe  course  for  the  author  to  leave  them  the 
alternative,  and  is  a  most  conciliating  proposition 
truly,  for  this  moral  court ;  since  if  they  cannot  "  for- 
mally" approve,  they  are  invited  "  tacithf  to  "  an- 
nounce'"' their  award,  which  the  Christian  public  will 
"  tacitly"  receive  as  "  well  advised,  principled,  and 
unanimous." 

Next  follows  the  ''Introduction  Miscellaneous" 
which  is  "  formally  inscribed"  to  these  twenty -five 
patrons,  as  is  "virtually  the  entire  publication." 
This  introduction  contains  259  octavo  pages !  is 
truly  "  miscellaneous,"  and  constitutes  part  first  of 
the  work,  and  indeed,  occupies  more  than  one 
third  of  the  entire  volume. 

From  this  long  introduction,  we  have  already  made 
a  number  of  brief  extracts,  and  shall  now  proceed  to 
notice  it  more  generally.  In  the  former  part  of  it, 
is  a  narration  of  the  author's  early  education  and 
religious  experience.  Here  we  learn  that  his  parents 
were  Friends,  and  he  pays  a  just  tribute  to  the 
genuine  Christianity  of  his  excellent  Father,  not- 
withstanding his  Quakei'ism !  And  he  also  avouches 
lor  the  true  piety  and  orthodoxy  of  his  Quaker  mo- 


43      - 

ther,  which  he  is  not  willing  should  go  to  the  credit 
of  Quakerism,  but  "  ascribes  it  to  the  fact,  that  her 
early  education  was  purely  Presbyterian ;"  and  to 
her  "  having  been  baptized,"  in  infancy,  "  by  the 
excellent  Dr.  Sproat,  of  (Arch  street,)  Philadelphia." 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  notwithstanding  all  he 
has  said  adverse  to  female  preaching,  that  the  au- 
thor "attributes  his  conversion"  from  Quakerism 
"  to  Christianity,  very  much  instrumentally  to  the 
wisdom,  benevolence,  and  valor  for  the  truth,"  of 
a  pious  lady  !  whose  name  and  virtues  he  records 
with  much  grateful  and  honorable  emotion.  He 
was  at  the  time  engaged  in  the  study  of  the  law, 
in  the  village  of  Newark,  New  Jersey,  when  he 
overcame  the  "  charm  of  Quakerism,"  and  received 
"  the  unmystical  verities  of  the  Bible."  He  relates 
the  circumstances  attendant  upon  his  conversion 
with  great  minuteness,  and  declares,  that  at  that  time, 
but  for  the  power  of  the  Bible,  he  had  become  "  a 
disciple  of  moonshine  and  extravagance.^^  "  Were 
it  not  that  he  happened  to  know  better,  he  could 
see  and  tell  of  prodigies,  of  angelic  apparition  and 
miraculous  gloi^,^^  and  he  "  might  have  been  ^de- 
vout madman,  inspired,  or  any  thing  else  ;"  but 
"  the  balance  of  his  mind"  was  fortunately  "  re- 
stored by  reflection."  And  he  adds,  that  "the  wonder 
is  the  greater,  because  he  was,  by  education"  in 
Quakerism,  "  predisposed  to  it." 

Shortly   after    his    conversion    he    visited    Elias 


44 

Hicks,  heard  him  preach,  held  an  interview  with 
him,  which  he  describes,  and  subsequently  in  Phi- 
ladelphia had  conversation  with  the  "  chief  men" 
of  the  society,  by  all  of  whom  he  was  confirmed 
in  the  views  he  had  adopted  of  his  duty  to  "  come 
out  from  among  them,"  and  shortly  after,  in  the 
twentieth  year  of  his  age,  he  united  with  the  Pres- 
byterian church  at  Newark,  and  received  the  or- 
dinances for  the  first  time.  In  a  few  months,  he 
was  formally  disowned  by  the  Society  of  Friends, 
and  in  1817,  was  ordained  to  the  ministry. 

Immediately  after  this  narrative,  the  author  pro- 
ceeds to  the  discharge  of  his  "  especial  duty,"  as  he 
regards  it,  to  publish  something  for  the  benefit  of 
others.  And,  in  opposing  Quakerism,  he  selects 
Barclay's  Apology  as  a  standard  of  what  the  system 
is,  and  gives  as  a  reason  for  the  selection,  that  "  for 
style,  scholarship,  and  approximation  to  Protestant 
orthodoxy,  Barclay  holds  a  high,  perhaps,  a  solitary 
pre-eminence."  Nevertheless,  he  "  denounces  both 
him  and  his  peers,^'  as  religious  teachers.  The 
greatest  "  fault,  as  a  reasoner,"  of  which  he  com- 
plains in  Barclay,  is,  that  he  never  mentions  Bacon 
in  the  whole  compass  of  his  600  8vo.  pages,  and  this 
is  a  great  fault ;  for  he  affirms,  that  "  the  logic  of 
Bacon,  is  the  logic  of  the  New  Testament,"  while  the 
'*  style  of  Barclay  is  anti-Baconian,"  and  he  even 
doubts  whether  Barclay  had  ever  read  the  "  Novum 
Organum,"  though  it  had  been  extant  then  so  many 
years.     And   after   enumerating   the  results  of  the 


45 

Baconian  logic  and  its  principles,  he  says,  that  it  just 
as  "  certainly  exalts  the  Bible,  and  explodes  Quaker- 
ism." If  this  latter  result  is  so  certain,  it  is  no  marvel 
that  the  name  of  Bacon  was  omitted  in  Barclay's 
Apology. 

He  here  charges  Friends  with  an  enmity  to  logic, 
and  an  inimical  regard  to  classical  and  scientific 
learning, — a  characteristic  aversion  to  investigate, 
and  the  like  ;  in  confirmation  of  which,  he  appeals  to 
Barclay  and  Fox.  To  avoid  crimination,  for  uncha- 
ritableness,  he  recriminates  this  charge  upon  Quaker- 
ism, by  appealing  to  their  complaints  against  a  hire- 
ling ministry,  their  regulations  coHcerning  the  mai- 
riages  of  their  members,  &c. ;  the  latter  of  which,  he 
calls  "  a  pestilent  limb  of  anti-Christ, — a  crying 
shame, — a  disgrace  to  the  age,  and  a  monstrosity  in 
Christian  society."  We  next  find  him  approaching 
the  schism  in  the  body  of  Friends  in  this  country, 
into  the  orthodox  and  the  Hicksites ;  and  he  seems 
to  rejoice  greatly  in  this  schism,  for,  he  says,  "  it  is 
well,  rather  than  the  opposite,  now  that  altar  is  reared 
against  altar,"  &:c.  He  begins  with  the  "  orthodox," 
by  "  denying  to  them  boldly  a  recognition  of  Chris- 
tian character  ;"  and  adds  an  appeal  to  his  reverend 
patrons  to  unite  with  him  in  this  denial.  "  Suppose 
they  are,"  he  says,  "  by  possibility,  genuine  Chris- 
tians at  heart,"  yet  "  God  has  a  terrible  controversy 
with  them,"  for  the  "  damning  fault,"  the  "  accursed 
leaven,  in  all  their  published  symbols"  of  refusing  to 
maintain  the  paramount  authority  of  the  scriptures, 


46 

or  call  them  "  the  word  of  God.^'  This  error,  he 
affirms,  "  has,  first  and  last,  been  the  means  of  de- 
stroying more  souls,  than  the  wheels  of  the  great  car 
of  oriental  idolatry  have  ever  crushed  of  the  bodies 
of  men !" 

So  much  for  the  "  orthodox  Friends ;"  and  now^  hear 
what  he  says  of  the  Hicksites,  by  way  of  contrast : 
"  Their  very  confessions  of  infidelity  are  honorable, 
rather  than  covert  hypocrisy.  Any  thing  but  a 
hooded  villain — a  concealed  and  sanctimonious  hy- 
pocrite in  the  church  !"  And  he  says,  "  the  grand 
rallying  sentiment  of  the  party  is  that  of  their  cham- 
pion, whose  name  is  now  burnt  into  them  as  Hicks- 
ites,— *  No  man  can  believe  what  he  does  not  under- 
stand;^ "  and  here  follows  a  long  and  labored  argu- 
ment in  proof  of  this  aphorism,  which  the  author 
zealously  espouses,  as  though  it  were  Christianity — 
though  he  says  it  is  the  "  grand  rallying  sentiment" 
of  this  department  of  QuakeHsm, 

In  examining  the  relative  pretensions  of  the  two 
parties  to  primitive  Quakerism,  our  author  gives  a 
two-fold  opinion  : — 1st.  That  both  parties  can  equally 
prove  their  doctrines  from  Fox,  Barclay,  and  others  ; 
and  2d.  That  it  is  a  question  not  worth  settling,  and 
"  argueth  more  real  subtilty  to  despise  than  consider." 
And  adds,  in  reference  to  both,  "  The  infatuation  of 
men,  we  know,  is  often  judicial  and  desperate,  that 
they  all  might  be  damned,  who  believed  not  the  truth, 
but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness  ;"  and  then  cha- 


47 

ritably  adds,  "  I  hope  in  God,  for  better  things  in 
store  for  some  of  them."  He  then  concludes  his  re- 
marks on  the  schism,  by  offering  twenty  reasons  why 
the  ecclesiastical  visibility  of  the  "  orthodox,"  or 
of  Friends  universal,  cannot  be  recognised  by  the 
churches  of  Christ. 

In  this  portion  of  this  work,  we  have  been  both 
surprised  and  grieved  to  find,  that  the  author  refuses 
to  award  any  doctrinal  superiority  to  the  "  ortho- 
dox" party,  as  they  are  called,  in  contra-distinction 
to  the  "  Hicksites,"  and,  indeed,  seems  rather  more 
highly  to  esteem  the  latter.  We  have  been  sur- 
prised, because  the  point  of  difference  most  prominent 
in  this  schism,  involves  the  Deity,  incarnation  and 
atonement  of  Christ,  the  very  corner-stone  of  Chris- 
tianity, according  to  the  author's  own  showing  ;  and 
we  are  grieved  to  find,  that  he  has  so  determinately 
resolved  that  Quakerism,  in  genus,  species,  order, 
and  variety,  shall  not  be  Christianity,  that  he  cannot 
believe  any  good  thing  to  come  out  of  this  Nazareth. 
For  ourselves,  we  hesitate  not  to  express  our  fears, 
that  many  of  the  severities  contained  in  this  book 
against  the  doctrinal  peculiarities  of  Quakerism,  may 
apply  with  justice  to  some  of  the  party,  called 
'•  Hicksites  ;"  though  we  shojld  be  far  from  calling 
even  these,  *  a  community  of  infidels.'*^  But  w^e  are 
equally  prepared  to  express  our  conviction,  that  they 
are,  for  the  most  part,  unmerited  and  unwarranted  in 
their  application  to  those,  who,  for  distinction  sake, 
are  called  "  orthodox,"  many  of  whom  are  demon- 


48 

strably,  experimental  and  practical  Christians.  We 
arc,  therefore,  constrained  to  say,  that  the  want  of 
discrimination,  in  the  censures  of  this  volume  against 
Quakerism,  betrays  a  spirit  of  generalizing  or  indis- 
criminate censoriousness,  which  we  regret  for  the 
sake  of  the  author  and  his  book.  And  we  regret  it 
still  more,  because  we  believe  that  candor  and  truth 
required  at  his  hands,  the  concession  of  the  fact,  that 
the  two  sects  of  Friends  in  this  country  are  radically 
and  cardinally  opposite,  on  most  of  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  Christianity  ; — and  to  hold  them  up, 
therefore,  unitedly,  as  jointly  guilty  of  the  same  doc- 
trinal errors,  and  jointly  to  denounce  both  the  ortho- 
dox and  Hicksites,  as  "  cardinal  heretics  ;"  condemn- 
ing each  for  the  heresies  of  the  other  ;  is  as  ungene- 
rous as  it  is  unjust. 

We  now  proceed  to  notice  the  specific  accusations 
made  against  Friends  and  their  system,  adhering  as 
closely  as  possible  to  the  order  in  which  they  are 
alleged.  The  first  formal  charge  brought  against  the 
Quakers,  is  on  page  13,  that  "they  do  not  profess  to 
be  a  churchy  but  a  society  ;"  and  again,  at  page  96, 
"  They  do  not  even  profess  to  be  a  Christian  church ; 
they  are  only  the  religious  Society  of  Friends  ;"  and 
this  is  his^r^^  capital  reason,  why  "  the  ecclesiastical 
visibility  of  the  orthodox  cannot  be  recognised  by  the 
churches  of  Christ." 

To  show  that  this  first  charge  is  altogether  without 
foundation,  it  is  only  necessary  to  refer  to  the  title  of 


49 

one   of  the   works   of  the    same   Robert   Barclay, 
against  whom  he  so  loudly  inveighs.     "  The  anarchy 
of  pretended  churches,  refused  and  refuted  in  a  two- 
fold  apology,  for  the  Church  and  /^eo/j/e  of  God, 
called,  in  derision,  Quakers,  shewing  that  the  ancient 
Apostolic  order  of  the  Church  of  Christ  is  re-estab- 
lished among  them,"  &c.     Throughout  tliis  volume 
Barclay  maintains,  that  theirs  is  a  church  of  Christ, 
and  labor's  to  prove  the  propriety  of  their  church 
order  and  government  from  "  the  Holy  Scriptures." 
And  they,  who   are  familiar  with   the  writings  of 
Friends,  know  that  they  uniformly  profess  to  be  the 
"  true  church," — "  the  gospel  church," — "  the  New 
Testament    church,"  &c.     See   Penn,    Pennington, 
Barclay,  and  others.     It  would  seem  from  this  first 
blunder  of  the  author,  that,  although  he  "  knows  what 
Quakerism  is,"  yet  he  is  not  always  led  by  the  lighb 
either  "  inward"  or  "  outward." 

Passing  over  many  minor  charges  against  Qua- 
kerism, our  author  affirms,  on  page  150,  that  "  the 
Christ  of  Quakerism  is  not  the  Christ  of  the  scrip- 
tures ;"  and  again,  "  Quakerism  sends  us  feeling  in 
the  dark  for  the  inward  light,^N\\\Qh  is  Christ  in  every 
man,  from  the  foundation  of  the  worlds 

Now,  if  the  author  had  looked  into  Buck's  Theolo- 
gical Dictionary,  Philadelphia  edition,  1830,  he  would 
have  seen,  on  the  authority  of  official  documents, 
published  in  Lrondon,  and  subscribed  to  by  the  "  or- 
thodox" in  America,  that  "  they  fully  believe  in  the 
5 


50 

supreme  Divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in 
the  atonen^ient  by  his  sufferings  and  death."  And 
that  this  is  no  novel  doctrine  among  them,  is  apparent 
from  Barclay's  works,  with  which  our  author  declares 
himself  so  familiar,  for,  in  fol.  621,  he  says,  "  the 
whole  manhood  of  Christ  was  united  to  the  Logos, 
(or  Word,)  and  the  Logos  to  it,  and  in  it."  And 
again,  on  fol.  794,  he  declares  that  Christ  is  "  both 
true  God  and  true  man,  and  that  he  continues  so  to 
be  glorified  in  the  heavens."  This  is  the  "  Christ  of 
Quakerism,"  which  our  author  affirms  is  not  the 
"  Christ  of  the  scriptures."  Is  there  any  thing  here 
like  "  disparaging  and  obscuring  the  real  advent, 
the  real  crucifixion,  the  real  atonement  of  the  Son  of 
God,"  or  denying  that  "  Jesus  Christ  has  come  in 
human  nature,"  of  which  the  author  accuses  Quaker- 
ism, on  page  295  ? 

But  for  a  complete  refutation  of  these,  and  other 
similar  charges  against  Quakerism,  of  "  cardinal 
heresy,"  on  this  important  subject,  the  character  and 
atonement  of  Christ,  reference  may  be  had  to  the 
authority  of  "  Unitarian  Penn,'^  in  his  work,  entitled 
"  Primitive  Christianity  Revived,"  in  which  he  meets 
all  these  charges  of  our  author,  as  though  by  pro- 
phetic anticipation  ; — but  let  Penn  speak  for  himself, 
and  let  us  see  with  what  justice  he  applies  this  odious 
epithet.  Unitarian,  to  that  excellent  man. 

"  Lest  any  should  say,  we  are  equivocal  in  our 
expressions,  and  allegorize  away  Christ's  appearance 


51 

in  the  flesh,  meaning  only  thereby  our  own  flesh ; 
and  that,  as  often  as  we  mention  him,  we  mean  only 
a  mystery,  or  a  mystical  sense  of  him,  be  it  a«  to  his 
Coming,  Birth,  Miracles,  Sufferings,  Death,  Resur- 
rection, Ascension,  Mediation,  and  Judgment,  I  would 
yet  add,  to  preserve  the  well  disposed  from  being 
staggered  by  such  suggestions,  and  to  inform  and  re- 
claim such  as  are  under  the  power  and  prejudice  of 
them  ; — That  we  do,  we  bless  God,  religiously  believe 
and  confess,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father,  and  the 
honor  of  his  dear  and  beloved  Son,  that  Jesus  Christ 
took  our  nature  upon  Him,  and  was  like  unto  us  in 
all  things,  sin  excepted ;  that  he  was  born  of  the 
Virgin  Mary  ;  suftered  under  Pontius  Pilate  ;  was 
crucified,  dead,  and  buried  ;  rose  again  the  third  day, 
and  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sits  on  the  right  hand 
of  God,  in  the  power  and  majesty  of  His  Father,  who 
will  one  day  judge  the  world,  by  Him,  even  ihat 
blessed  man,  Christ  Jesus,  according  to  their  works." 
And  again,  "  We  do  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
our  holy  sacrifice,  atonement,  and  propitiation,  and 
that  through  the  ofiering  up  of  himself  once  for  all, 
through  the  Eternal  Spirit,  he  hath  for  ever  perfected 
those  (in  all  times)  that  were  sanctified,  who  walk 
not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit." 

But  our  author  next  insists,  that  the  Quakers  are, 
^^  from  the  beginning,  cardinal  heretics,  the  whole 
of  them;"  and  "especially  the  orthodox,"  who  are, 
"  at  best,  Sabellians,  or  most  equivocal  mystics,  on 
the  grand  article  of  the  Trinity."     "  The  God  o) 


52 

Friends,  I  experimentally  know,  is  little  other  than  an 
impersonal  influence  or  principle."  "  Their  God  is 
a  seed,  light,  and  so  forth."  "  They  deny,  in  effect, 
personality  to  the  Godhead."  "  I  allege  this  as  a  fact, 
rather  than  an  argument ;  and  write  it  as  a  witness, 
rather  than  a  disputer."  And  here  he  labors  to  show, 
that  the  confessions  of  Barclay,  Penn,  and  others,  are 
evasive  and  equivocal,  and  affirms,  that  "  They  deny 
the  distinction  of  persons  in  the  Godhead."  That  he 
should  make  this  charge  against  the  whole  of  the 
"  Friends,"  and  especially  against  the  "  orthodox,"  is 
passing  strange.  To  show  the  recklessness  of  the 
author,  however,  in  his  censoriousness,  we  make  but 
a  single  quotation  from  one  of  their  standard  authors. 
"  Pennington's  Epistle  to  all  Serious  Professors  of  the 
Christian  Religion," — page  4.  "  There  are  two  or 
three  things  in  my  heart  to  open  to  you : — The  first, 
is  concerning  the  Godhead,  which  w^e  own,  as  the 
scriptures  express  it,  and  as  we  have  the  sensible  ex- 
perimental knowledge  of  it.  In  which  '  there  are 
three  that  bear  record  in  heaven, — the  Father,  the 
Word,  and  the  Holy  Spirit :  and  these  three  are 
one.'  This,  I  believe  from  my  heart,  and  have  infal- 
lible demonstrations  of;  for  I  know  three,  and  feel 
three  in  spirit,  even  an  Eternal  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Spirit,  which  are  but  one  Eternal  God."  And 
again,  "  Now  consider  seriously,  if  a  man  from  his 
heart  believe  thus  concerning  the  Eternal  Power  and 
Godhead  ;  that  the  Father,  is  God — the  Word,  God — 
the  Holy  Spirit,  God,  and  that  these  three  are  one 
Eternal  6rO{/,  waiting  so  to  know  God,  and  to  be  subject 


53 

to  him  accordingly  ;  is  not  this  man  in  a  right  frame 
of  heart  towards  the  Lord  in  this  respect  ?  Indeed, 
Friends,  we  do  know  God,  sensibly  and  experi- 
mentally, to  be  a  Father,  Word,  and  Spirit,  and  we 
worship  the  JF'ather  in  the  Son  by  his  own  SpiHt,'' 
&c.,  &c.  This  quotation  might  be  greatly  extended 
from  the  same  author,  and  confirmed  by  others,  an- 
cient and  modern,  but  this  is  so  unequivocal  a  decla- 
ration of  the  principles  of  primitive  Quakerism,  as 
held  by  the  "  orthodox"  among  the  Friends  in  Ame- 
rica, that  it  must  be  regarded  as  an  ample  refutation 
of  all  our  author  has  said,  in  his  labored  argument  on 
this  subject,  and  proves  the  falsity  of  this  charge, 
though  very  often  repeated  in  various  forms  in  the 
huge  work  before  us. 

Another  accusation  against  Quakerism,  contained 
in  his  protracted  "Introduction  Miscellaneous,"  of 
259  pages,  is  that  brought  against  the  "  orthodox"  on 
page  71,  which  he  calls  their  "  damning  fault"  It  is 
this,  "Pertinaciously  refusing  to  acknowledge  the 
paramount  authority  of  the  Holy  ScrijJtures,  as  the 
rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  refusing  with  equal 
and  melancholy  consistency,  to  follow  the  example 
of  Jesus  Christ,  in  calling  them  the  word  of  God^ 
And  here  again  he  makes  the  affirmation,  "  that 
Friends  do,  all  of  them,  in  London,  New  York,  and 
Philadelphia,  and  of  all  ages,  since  their  rise,  unite  in 
denying  the  paramount  authority  of  the  scriptures,  is 
infallibly  a  fact."  And  so  anxious  is  our  author  to 
'"onvict  Quakerism  of  this  "  accursed  leaven,"  that 
5* 


54 

he   perverts  what    they    say  of   the   Bible,  being 
"  esteemed  as  a  secondary  rule,  subordinate  to  the 
Holy  Spirit,  by  which  it  was  inspired,"  and  alleges 
that  the  system  claims  a  higher  inspiration  for  its 
own  writers,   "  The  only  proper  criterion  of  what 
Quakerism  is,  is  the  Quaker  Scriptures,  the  5a- 
cred  writings  of  Fox,  Barclay,  Penn,  and  others." 
When  were  these  writings  called  sacred?  and  by 
whom,  except  our  author,  were  they  ever  denomi- 
nated the  scriptures  in  the  sense  here  intended  ?  And 
yet  he  says,  "No  oath  could  add  to  the  solemnity 
which  invests  the  obligation  of  my  veracity.     But  if 
it  might,  I  call  God  for  a  record  upon  my  soul,  that 
I  will  not  intentionally  miss-state  any  thing."     The 
author's  asseverations  and  appeals  to  his  Maker,  for 
the  purity  of  his  motives,  are  all  scarcely  sufficient  to 
screen  him  from  the  charge  he  brings  againstQua  - 
kerism  on  page  228,  where  he  says,  "  God  will  be  no 
party  to  a  cause  that  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie,  as  Qua- 
kerism is  !"     And  again,  on  page  233,  "  I  do  not  say 
that  the  advocates  of  Quakerism  know  that  they  are 
lying,  but  convinced  I  am  in  the  sight  of  God,  that 
they  might  know  it." 

That  the  sentiments  of  "  orthodox  Friends"  may 
be  fairly  presented,  and  the  Society  protected  from 
the  flagrant  injustice,  and  unrighteous  accusation  here 
made,  we  shall  present  a  few  brief  extracts  from 
standard  authorities. 

1.  "To  Christ  alone  we  give  the  title  of  the  word 


55 

of  God,  John  i.  1.,  and  not  to  the  scriptures,  although 
we  highly  esteem  these  sacred  writings,  in  subordina- 
tion to  the  Spirit  (2  Pet.  i.  21.)  from  which  they 
were  given  forth,  and  we  hold  with  the  apostle,  Paul, 
that  they  "  are  able  to  make  wise  unto  salvation, 
through  faith,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  2  Tim.  iii.  15." 
Buck^s  Diet.  Art  Quakers. 

2.  Among  the  traits  of  the  character  of  George 
Fox,  by  Wm.  Penn,  we  find  it  stated,  as  his  chief 
qualification  for  the  ministry,  "  He  had  an  extraor- 
dinary gift  in  opening  the  Scriptures,''  and  in  a  sum- 
mary, given  of  the  subject  matter  of  the  preaching  of 
Fox,  he  says,  "  The  mystery  of  the  first  and  second 
Adam,  of  the  Fall  and  Restoration,  of  the  Law  and 
Gospel,  of  Shadows  and  Substance,  of  the  Servant's 
and  Son's  state,  and  the  fulfilling  of  the  scriptures,  in 
Christ,  and,  by  Christ,  the  true  light,  in  all  that  are 
his,  through  the  obedience  of  faith ;  were  much  of  the 
substance  and  drift  of  his  testimonies." 

3.  In  Wm.  Penn's  Exhortation  to  the  Ministry,  he 
charges  them,  "  Brethren,  as  to  you  is  committed  the 
dispensation  of  the  '  oracles  of  God,'  I  beseech  you, 
not  to  think  it  sufficient  to  have  declared  the  word  of 
life,  in  the  assemblies,  but  inquire  the  state  of  the 
several  churches  you  visit,"  &c.  And  he  warns  them 
to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  by  the  language 
of  the  Revelations,  of  the  plagues  threatened  against 
those,  who  add  to,  or  take  away  from,  the  Book  of 
Revelation. 


56 

4.  In  Barclay's  work,  entitled  "  Anarchy  of  the 
Ranters,  and  Hierarchy  of  the  Romanists,  &c.,  Re- 
fused and  Refuted,"  will  be  found  numerous  proofs  of 
the  veneration  he  had  in  common  with  Friends  for 
the  "  Holy  Scriptures,"  which  he  relies  upon  in  the 
argument  in  favor  of  the  authority  and  discipline  of 
the  Church  of  Christ.  After  stating  one  of  the  pro- 
mises, viz.,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world,"  he  says,  "  besides  this  positive 
promise  of  Christ,  (which  is  not,  without  blasphemy 
to  he  called  in  question,  or  doubted,)  I  shall  add  other 
reasons." 

5.  In  Pyke's  Epistle  to  the  national  meeting  of 
Friends,  in  Dublin,  concerning  good  order  and  disci- 
pline in  the  church,  we  find  that,  after  speaking  of 
the  Gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  Christ  has  given 
us  for  our  salvation,  he  says,  "  He  has  given  us 
additional  means  and  assistances  conducive  to  that 
great  end ; — thus  He  has  afforded  us  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  for  our  information,  edification,  and 
comfort,  through  the  Spirit" 

6.  In  Phipps'  Reply  to  S.  Newton  hes  ays,  "  We  are 
so  far  from  lessening  the  Holy  Scriptures  or  opposing 
the  true  sense  of  them,  that  we  verily  believe  and 
sincerely  assert  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  what  degree 
of  illumination  soever  it  appears,  never  can  contradict 
them,  for  difference  in  degree  makes  no  contrariety. 
It  is  the  private,  or  particular  interpretation  of  man 
without  divine  illumination,  that  we  we  object  to  as 


57 

insufficient  to  assure  the  sense  of  disputed  scriptures. 
Many  have  the  words  of  the  Spirit  in  scripture,  who 
have  not  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  in  their  hearts." 
"  Neither  nature  nor  education  can  mve  a  man  the 
sense  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  nor  of  consequence  interpret 
its  expressions  with  certainty.  It  is,  therefore,  truly 
asserted,  not  only  by  the  Quakers,  but  also  by  distin- 
guished writers  of  various  professions,  ancient  and 
modern,  that  the  internal  illumination  of  God's  Holy 
Spirit  is  absolutely  necessary  to  every  man,  in  order 
to  his  right  understanding  of  the  Scriptures.  Let  me 
advance  a  few  out  of  many  more."  We  shall  only 
transcribe  a  very  few  of  these. 

"  The  scriptures  are  not  to  be  understood  but  by 
the  same  spirit,  by  which  they  were  written."  Luther. 

"  The  Spirit  of  God,  from  whom  the  doctrine  of  the 
gospel  proceeds,  is  the  only  true  interpreter  to  open 
it  to  us."     Calvin^  on  1  Cor.  ii.  14. 

"  As  the  scriptures  were  written  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  so  they  must  be  expounded  by  the  same.  For 
without  that  spirit  we  have  neither  ears  to  hear,  nor 
eyes  to  see,"     Bish.  Jewel, 

"  An  inward  enlightening  and  irradiating  the  mind 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
comprehending  of  the  divine  mysteries,  which  are 
contained  in  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel."  /.  Edwards. 


58 

"  We  acknowledge  the  inward  illumination  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  to  be  necessary  for  the  savingunder- 
standingofsuch  things  as  are  revealed  in  the  word." 
Westminster  Confess, 

Mr.  Phipps  then  goes  on  to  show,  that  the  only 
reason  why  they  object  to  call  the  scriptures  "  the 
rule  of  faith  and  practice"  is,  lest  that  should  be  under- 
stood to  imply  that  we  are  not  to  look  for  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  be  our  Guide  and  Leader,  which  the  Scrip- 
tures themselves  abundantly  testify.  Still  he  affirms, 
"we  allow  it  is  the  primary  written  rule,  a  Christian 
rule,  a  divine  rule,  but  not  the  only  and  universal  rule* 
I.  The  scriptures  are  not  the  only  director,  because 
the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  heart  and  conscience  of  man 
is  also  an  undeniable  one.  II.  They  are  not  the  uni- 
versal director,  because  it  is  not  one  in  twenty  of 
mankind  have  ever  had  the  opportunity  of  possessing 
them,  &:c.  But  we  hold  the  scriptures  to  be  a  rule 
to  all  that  have  a  right  understanding  of  them." 
Joseph  Phipps's  Essay  on  the  Original  and  Present 
State  of  Man,  &c. 

But  that  Friends  called  "  orthodox"  may  be  fully 
exonerated  from  this  heinous  heresy,  we  quote  from 
the  "  Testimony"  issued  from  all  the  yearly  meetings 
in  America,  from  which  the  author  has  made  some 
extracts  in  his  book. 

"  Nor  can  a  right  belief  in  the  Holy  Spirit  and  hii 
nfluences  and  operations  upon  the  human  mind  as  ti 


59 

primary  source  of  divine  knowledge  in  us,  and  the 
immediate  operative  power  in  the  work  of  sanctifi- 
cation  and  complete  redemption,  detract  from  the 
value  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  For  as  we  beheve 
that  they  certainly  proceed  from  the  same  Spirit,  so 
we  believe  that  whatever  is  contrary  to  their  testimony 
in  faith  or  practice,  must  be  a  delusion,  and  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  immediate  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 
And  they  quote  largely  in  proof  of  the  oneness  of 
their  views  on  this  subject,  from  Fox's  journal,  in  which 
he  declares  his  full  belief  in  the  "  Scriptures  of  truth," 
in  language  as  strong  and  explicit,  touching  their  in- 
spiration and  authority,  as  can  be  found  in  any 
modern  creed,  and  he  adds,  "we  believe  the  Holy 
Scriptures  are  the  words  of  God^^  "  so  we  call  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  as  Christ,  the  Apostles,  and  holy  men  of 
God  called  them,  the  words  of  God  /" 

We  have  dwelt  thus  long  on  this  charge  because  it 
has  so  prominent  a  place  among  the  alJegations,  made 
by  our  author  against  Quakerism,  and  "  especially  the 
orthodox  ;"  and  because  of  the  abundant  evidence 
which  every  standard  work  on  the  subject  furnishes. 
The  reader  can  form  his  own  opinion  of  the  author, 
and  attribute  these  mistakes,  if  he  can,  only  to  the 
absence  of  the  inward  light. 

On  page  137,  our  author  makes  the  following 
sweeping  declaration,  "  Friends  do  none  of  them  be- 
lieve in  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body." 
"  I  venture  the  assertion  that  a  Friend  who  believes  it, 
is  a  rarer  phenomenon  than  an  eclipse  of  the  moon  /** 


60 

The  authority  on  which  he  makes  this  charge 
against  Quakerism  is,  that  he  "  heard  one  of  their 
preachers  most  scornfully  declaim  against  it,"  and  as 
in  the  other  cases  because  he  "  knows"  what  Quaker- 
ism is.  To  show,  however,  the  folly  and  extravagance, 
if  no  worse,  of  this  oracular  author,  who  says  "  it  were 
affectation  to  imply  that  I  did  not  think  my  self  a  judge 
in  such  matters,"  we  here  again  extract  fron^  the  tes- 
timony of  the  orthodox  party,  lately  published. 

"  The  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  both  of  the 
just  and  unjust, — of  future  judgment  ; — of  rewards 
and  punishments  ;  and  the  realities  of  heaven  and  hell  ; 
is  inseparably  connected  with  the  belief  of  the  attri- 
butes of  God,  and  the  immortality  of  the  soul,"  &:c. 

In  Mr.  Penn's  Primitive  Christianity  Revived,  he 
warns  the  ungodly  that  they  "  will  finally  awake  in  a 
dreadful  surprise  at  the  sad  and  irrevocable  sentence. 
Depart  from  me  ye  workers  of  iniquity  I  know  ye  not." 
And  again  to  those  who  are  in  Christ  he  says,  "  Thou 
art  assured,  that  thy  corruptible  shall  put  on  incor- 
ruption,  and  thy  mortal  immortality,  and  that  thou 
hast  a  glorious  house  eternal  in  the  heavens  that  will 
never  wax  old  nor  pass  away." 

And  lastly,  in  Barclay's  Apology,  p.  573,  we  find 
among  a  catalogue  of  calumnies  against  Quakerism, 
of  which  the  author  loudly  complains,  and  in  which 
he  fully  refutes  most  of  the  allegations  preferred  by 
the  author,  he  says,  "  Because  we  tell  them  while 
they  are  talking  and  determining  about  the  resurrec- 


61 

tion,  that  they  have  more  need  to  know  the  Just  One 
whom  they  have  slain,  raised  in  themselves,  and  to  be 
sure  they  are  partakers  of  the/r5^  resurrection;  and 
that  if  this  be,  they  will  be  the  more  capable  to  judge 
of  the  second ; — hence  they  say,  that  we  deny  the  re- 
surrection OF  the  body,"  "  which  slander,  the  Lord 
knows,  is  foully  cast  upon  us."  Here  ^we  see  that 
Barclay  calls  this  precise  charge  of  our  author  against 
Quakerism  ^  foul  slander,  and  adds,  of  this  and  other 
of  his  allegations,  "  it  is,  as  God,  the  searclier  of  hearts, 
knows,  a  very  great  slander."  And  yet  he  says  that 
"  Barclay  wholly  omits  it,"  and  no  where, "  formally 
touches  the  subject,"  and  says  this  was  his  "policy." 

Now  suppose  the  system  of  Calvinism,  which  the 
author  avows  as  his  own,  were  charged  with  this  or 
any  other  "  damnable  heresy  ;"  and  he  could  show, 
from  one  or  more  of  the  standard  authorities  of  that 
system,  that  the  charge  was  thus  solemnly  declared 
to  be  a  ^'foul  slander^''  and  indignantly  repelled  by 
an  appeal  to  the  "  Searcher  of  Hearts  ;"  what  would 
he  think  of  a  Christian  minister,  calling  himself  a 
"  witness,"  who  should  reiterate  this  calumny,  and 
add  a  whole  tirade  of  abuse  of  the  system,  and  de- 
nunciation of  its  votaries,  ever  and  anon  exclaiming  "  I 
know  what  Calvinism  is  !"  And  yet  such  is  the  predic- 
ament in  which  he  has  placed  himself  both  here  and 
elsewhere,  as  the  reader  cannot  fail  to  discover. 

We  come  now  to  notice  the  second  part  of  this 
volume,  entitled  "  The  Grand  Error :"  and  the  au- 
6 


62 

thor  here  declares  the  *'  inward  light"  to  be  the 
''fundamental  error  in  the  scheme  of  Quakerism'' 
This,  he  calls  an  "  ignis  faiuus^'  by  which,  he  says, 
"  The  Friend  gets  rid  of  the  Bible,  as  effectually  as 
the  Papist,  by  the  infallibility  of  the  Church ; — the 
Socinian,  by  his  own  reason ; — the  Deist,  by  the  light 
of  nature; — the  Sceptic,  hy  his  science  and  philoso- 
phy;  and  the  man  of  the  world,  by  his  pleasures  P' 
and  even  expresses  "  a  suspicion,"  long  entertained, 
and  he  believes  valid,  that  there  is  some,  perhaps 
much,  of  pure  materializing  in  their  view  of  this 
"  inward  light." 

"  Thus,"  he  says,  "  the  Papist,  the  Socinian,  the 
Deist,  the  Philosopher  of  scepticism  ;  the  mere  man 
of  the  world ;  the  Friendy  and  all  other  impugners  of 
the  paramount  authority  of  scripture,  have  each  a 
favorite  mode  of  avoiding  and  disparaging  the  vo- 
lume of  God.  But  it  is  manifest  that  their  common 
aim  is  one.  Their  common  cause  is  one  !  their  common 
character!  and,  with  some  possible  exceptions  and 
probable  differences  in  degree,  one  shall  be  their 
coMiMON  DOOM  ! ! !"    Thus  does  our  author 

"Deal  damn  a  fion  round  the  land, 
On  all  he  deems  his  foes." 

We  confess  ourselves  somewhat  surprised,  that  he 
should  speak  so  authoritatively  in  his  denunciation 
of  the  "  inward  light,"  when  he  admits,  on  page  296, 
that  he  "  cannot  define  the  nature  of  what  they  mean 
by  this  inward  light,''  although  he  says,  he  speaks 
'*  as  a  witness,"  and  often  affirms,  that  he  "  knows 


63 

what  Quakerism  is"  An  extraordinary  witness  truly, 
who  "  knows"  what  the  system  is,  and  yet  cannot 
define  the  nature  of  "  the  grand  error,"  as  he  calls 
the  doctrine  of  "  inward  light." 

Now,  after  all  the  vituperation  and  ridicule  with 
which  he  assails  this  unknown  heresy,  and  all  the 
labored  argumentation  to  which  he  resorts  for  its 
refutation,  let  us  look  at  the  standard  authority  which 
he  quotes  and  garbles,  and  see  whether  there  be  any 
such  "  impossibility  of  an  intelligible  definition  of  its 
nature,"  as  our  author  declares  there  is ;  and  offers 
this  as  an  excuse  for  his  failure,  in  discovering  what 
Friends  mean  by  their  "  inward  light."  We  shall 
here  make  a  few  brief  extracts  from  "  Barclay's  Apo- 
logy," a  work,  which  the  author  declares  he  has  often 
read,  and  recently  "thoroughly  re-perused." 

We  should  incline  to  the  opinion  that,  if  our  author 
had  candidly  "  re-perused"  these  passages  and  their 
context,  he  would  not  be  under  the  necessity  of  confess- 
ing his  ignorance  as  to  what  Friends  mean  by  the  "  in- 
ward light."  But  Barclay  next  proceeds  to  present 
those  scripture  proofs,  by  which  he  professes  to  have 
been  originally  led  to  discover  this  inward  monitor, 
and  which  he  reverently  acknowledges  as  confirming 
his  faith.  By  attending  to  a  few  of  those  inspired  tes- 
timonies, chosen  from  the  "  oracles  of  God,"  w^e  shall 
surely  arrive  at  an  "  intelligible  definition  of  what 
Friends  mean,"  quite  as  conclusively  as  from  this 
*'  witness,"  though  he  says,  he  "  knows  what  Qua- 
kerism is." 


64 

1.  "  God  hath  communicated  and  given  unto  every 
man  a  measure  of  the  light  of  his  own  Son, — a  mea- 
sure oi  grace,  or  a  measure  of  the  Spirit,^^  which  the 
scripture  expresses  by  several  names,  as  sometimes 
of  the  seed  of  the  kingdom,  Mat.  xiii.  18,  19.  The 
liglU  that  makes  all  things  manifest,  Eph.  v.  13.  The 
word  of  God,  Rom.  x.  17;  or  manifestation  of  the 
Spirit  given  to  profit  withal,  1  Cor.  xii.  7.  A  talent, 
Mat.  XXV.  15.  A  Uttle  leaven,  Mat.  xiii.  33.  The 
gospel  preached  in  eveiy  creature,  Col.  i.  23." — 
Again, 

"  By  this  seed,  grace,  and  word  of  God,  and  light, 
wherewith  we  say  every  one  is  enlightened ;"  "  we 
understand  a  spiritual,  heavenly,  and  invisible  prin- 
ciple, in  which  God,  as  Father,  Son  and  Spirit, 
dwells  ;  a  measure  of  which  divine  and  glorious  life 
is  in  all  men  as  a  seed,  which  of  its  own  nature 
draws,  invites,  and  inclines  to  God,"  &:c.  And  after 
meeting  and  refuting  the  precise  objections,  which 
our  author  brings  against  the  nature  and  effects  of 
this  "  inward  light,"  he  proceeds  to  prove,  from  plain 
and  clear  testimonies  of  the  scripture,  that  "  God 
hath  given  to  every  man  a  measure  of  saving,  suffi- 
cient, and  supernatural  light  and  grace." 

2.  Mat.  xii.  from  verse  18.  The  parable  of  the 
sower,  also  found  in  Mark  and  Luke.  "  The  seed  is 
the  word  of  the  kingdom,"  which  the  apostle  calls  the 
tvord  of  faith,  Rom.  x.   8.     James  i.   21,  "the  im- 


65 

planted,    ingrafted  word,  which  is  able  to   save  the 
souir 

3.  The  parable  of  the  talents, 

4.  Heb.  iv.  12,  13.  For  the  word  of  God  is  quick 
and  powerful,  and  sharper  than  any  two-edged 
sword,  &c.  &ic, 

5.  1  Pet.  i.  23.  Being  born  again,  not  of  corrupti- 
ble seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  word  of  God, 
which  liveth  and  abidetU  for  ever. 

6.  Luke  xvii.  20,  21.  Christ  saith  the  kingdom  of 
God  was  IN  the  very  Pharisees. 

7.  John  iii.  19.  "  This  is  the  condemnation,  that 
light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darlmess 
rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil,"  &c. 

After  a  multitude  of  other  scriptures,  all  presented 
in  proof  that  Friends  regard  the  "  inward  light,"  as 
the  "  grace  of  God,"  "  the  Spirit  of  God,"  "  the  word 
of  God,"  and  none  other  than  the  "  light  of  Christ," 
Barclay  adds,  '«  It  will  manifestly  appear,  that  we 
understand  not  this  divine  principle  to  be  any  part  of 
marCs  nature,  nor  yet  to  be  any  relics  of  any  good, 
which  Adam  lost  by  his  fall,  in  that  we  make  it  a 
distinct,  separate  thing  from  man's  soul,  and  all  the 
faculties  of  it ;  yet,  such  is  the  malice  of  our  adver- 
saries, that  they  cease  not  to  calumniate  us,  as  if  we 
6* 


preached  up  a  natural  light,  or  the  light  of  man's  na- 
tural conscience^  And  again,  he  affirms,  that  "  this 
principle  leads,  above  all  others,  to  attribute  our  whole 
salvation  to  the  mere  power.  Spirit,  and  grace  of 
Godr 

With  these  quotations  from  Barclay,  which  might 
be  multiplied  indefinitely  from  the  writings  of  Friends, 
we  would  now  inquire,  why  the  author  asks,  again 
and  again,  "  What  is  this  inward  light  ?  Is  it  rea- 
son or  conscience,  or  knowledge  or  holiness,  or  blind 
impulse,  or  spontaneous  action,  or  monitorial  sug- 
gestion ?"  &:c.  "  What  is  the  thing,  which  they  mean, 
if  they  mean  definitely  any  thing,  when  they  speak 
of  '  the  light  within.'  "  And  on  what  authority  does 
he  add,  "  it  seems  certain  that  they  ignorantly  mean 
nothing  but  natural  conscience,^*  when  they  so  dis- 
tinctly disavow  this  sentiment,  and  call  it  a  "  calumny 
instigated  by  the  malice  of  adversaries?"  I  ask 
these  questions,  that  the  reader  may  judge  of  the  un- 
candid  spirit  of  this  author,  and  leave  reason  and 
conscience  to  answer.  A  multitude  of  similar  exam- 
ples might  be  presented  of  the  same  character,  and 
indeed,  to  follow  the  author  in  these  sophisms,  we 
must  needs  transcribe  his  whole  volume. 

But  he  proposes  to  try  Quakerism,  and  especially 
this  doctrine  of  "  inward  light,"  by  an  inspired  cri- 
terion, and  selects,  for  this  purpose,  the  following  pas- 
sage, from  1  John  iv.  1,3 : — "  Hereby  know  ye,  the 
Spirit  of  God.     Every  spirit  that  confesseth,  that 


67 

Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  of  God.  And 
every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
come  in  the  flesh,  is  not  of  God  ;  and  this  is  that  spi- 
rit of  anti-Christ,  whereof  ye  have  heard,  that  it 
should  come,  and  even  now  already  is  it  in  the 
world." 

Now,  there  can  be  no  objection  to  the  criterion, 
by  Quakerism  itself;  and,  indeed,  the  follow^ing  ex- 
position is  equally  unexceptionable : — 

"  The  object  of  this  confession,  the  proposition, 
that  Jesus  Christ  has  come  in  the  Jleshy  means  that 
Jesus,  the  Messiah,  has  outwardly  come  in  hu- 
man NATURE."  To  the  inference  which  follows  we 
have  no  objection. 

"  I  infer  that,  whatever  spirit  is  not  characterized 

by  professing  and  magnifying  that  grand  proposition^ 
is  a  limb  of  anti-Christ.^^ 

But  all  this  plausible  exordium,  is  but  a  prepa- 
ration to  charge  Quakerism  with  being  a  "  limb 
of  anti-Christ,"  and  to  impute  to  the  system  either 
a  denial,  or  "  an  admission,  with  reluctance  and 
constraint,  as  if  tortured  into  the  admission,  that 
Jesus,  the  Messiah,  has  outwardly  come  in  human 
nature ;"  and  after  having  made  this  scandalous 
allegation,  he  very  confidently  "  appeals  to  the  con- 
science of  the  reader,  and  to  his  intelligence,  whe- 
titer  the  spirit  of  Quakerism  be  not  the  spirit  of  anti 
Christ?" 


68 

We  will  admit,  that  if  the  author  has  not  borne 
"  false  witness  against  his  neighbor,"  his  conclusion 
is  undeniable.  If  he  had  shown  by  other  than 
mere  reckless  assertion,  and  egotistic  dogmatism, 
that  Friends  "  disparage  and  obscure  the  real  ad- 
vent, the  real  crucifixion,  the  real  atonement  of  the 
Son  of  God,"  we  could  not  convict  his  "Baconian 
logic  !"  of  a  non  scquitui\  nor  shelter  Quakerism  from 
his  anathemas.  But  we  have  had  occasion  to  prove, 
on  page  51,  that  this  whole  accusation  is  "  funda- 
mentally false,"  and  the  testimony  of  "  Unitarian 
Penn,"  as  our  author  most  unjustly  calls  him,  is 
aimed  at  this  very  allegation,  which  thus  early 
had  been  fabricated  against  Quakerism.  But  as 
our  author  appeals  mainly  to  Barclay,  and  de- 
clares himself  familiar  with  his  works,  particularly 
his  "  Apology,"  the  following  extracts  are  pre- 
sented from  that  work,  of  which  the  author  says  : 
'*  Barclay  admits  the  fact  of  the  personal  advent  of 
Christ,  HERE  AND  THERE,  and  states  it  passingly 
in  his  big  volume,  but  no  more  ! ! !"  Such  an  out- 
rage upon  this  work,  upon  truth,  and  upon  de- 
cency, as  is  this  sentence,  has  no  term  in  any 
Christian  vocabulary  sufficient  to  indicate  its  enor- 
mity. If  we  might  borrow  from  our  author  his 
anti-Christian  nomenclature,  we  might  exclaim, — 
"  We  do  not  say,  that  he  knows  he  is  lying,  but 
sure  we  are,  in  the  sight  of  God,  he  might  know 
it."  I  make  a  few  extracts  ;  I  might  make  hun- 
dreds equally  explicit. 

"  We  firmly  believe  it  was  necessary  that  Christ 


69 


should  come,  that  by  his  death  and  sufferings  he  might 
offer  himself  a  sacrifice  to  God  for  our  sins,  who  his 
own  self  hare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree  ;  so 
we  believe,  that  the  remission  of  sins  which  any 
partake  of,  is  only  in  and  by  virtue  of  that  most  satis- 
factory sacrifice,  and  NO  oTUERwisB."  Again,  "we 
believe  all  those  things  to  have  been  certainly  trans- 
acted which  are[recorded  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  con- 
cerning the  birth,  life,  miracles,  sufferings,  resurrection 
and  ascension  of  Christ  ;  so  we  do  also  believe  that 
it  is  the  duty  of  every  one  to  believe  it,  to  whom  it 
pleases  God  to  reveal  the  same,  and  to  bring  to  them 
the  knowledge  of  it  ;  yea,  we  believe  it  were  damna- 
ble unbelief  not  to  believe  it,  when  so  declared,"  &c. 

"  We  renounce  all  natural  power  acd  ability  in  our- 
selves, in  order  to  bring  us  out  of  our  lost  and  fallen 
condition  and  first  nature ;  and  confess,  that  as  of 
ourselves  we  are  able  to  do  nothing  that  is  good,  so 
neither  can  we  procure  remission  of  sins  or  justifica- 
tion by  any  act  of  our  own,  so  as  to  merit  it  or  draw 
it  as  a  debt  from  God  due  unto  us  ;  but  we  acknow 
LED6B  all  to  be  of  and  from  his  love,  which  is  the 
original  and  fundamental  cause  of  our  acceptance. 
God  manifested  this  love  towards  us  in  the  sending  of 
his  beloved  Son  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  into  the  world, 
who  gave  himself  for  us  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to 
God  for  a  sweet  smelling  savor  ;  and  having  made 
peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross,  that  he  might 
reconcile  us  unto  himself,  and  by  the  Eternal  Spirit 
offered  himself  without  spot  unto  God  and  suffered  for 


70 

our  sins  the  just  for  the  unjust  that  he  might  bring  us 
unto  God." 

What  mysticism  and  heresy  is  there  here  ?  And 
where  the  ground  for  saying  that  "  the  grand  and  very 
distinguishing  confession  of  Friends,  is  the  hostile 
opposite  of  the  proposition,  Jesus  Christ  has  come  in 
human  nature  /"  And  how  does  the  author  expect  to 
be  behoved,  even  when  he  speaks  the  truth,  when  he 
has  the  temerity  to  assert,  "  It  is  the  spirit  of 
Quakerism  to  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  comes  inwardly,  spiritually, 
IMP  ALP  ABLY,  in  the  hearts  of  all  men  as  a  '  little 
SMALL  thing'  ! !"  and  then  ask"  how  is  this  coming  in 
the  flesh  according  to  the  sense  of  scriptural  phrase- 
ology ?"  And  when  the  Apology  abounds  with  testi- 
monies to  the  outward  coming,  sufferings  and  death 
of  Christ,  such  as  those  we  have  named,  where  is 
this  author's  natural  conscience,  to  say  nothing  of 
"  inward  light,"  when  he  affirms  that  "  Barclay  admits 
the  personal  advent  here  and  there,  and  states  it  pas- 
singly, BUT  NO  MORE  !!"  Wc  again  rcpcat  tlic  declara- 
tion, that  these  charges  against  Quakerism  are  utterly 
false,  and  we  think  we  have  given  evidence  to  con- 
firm their  entire  destitution  of  truth,  in  the  extracts 
already  made.  And  we  address  our  author  in  his 
own  language,  and  ask,  "  are  we  to  blame  for 
their  falsity,  or  for  showing  it  ?  Do  we  make  them 
false  by  shojving  that  they  are  so  ?  It  is  a  desire  for 
his  salvation  that  leads  us  to  hold  to  his  vision  the 
mirror  of  truth.      If  the  reflection  is  ungrateful,  the 


71 

rays  of  incidence  come  from  himself  and  his  book.'' 
"  To  be  sure  his  book  and  himself  are  identical,  we 
could  wish  that  they  were  more  than  the  moon's  dis- 
tance apart !" 

That  Quakerism  either  denies,  mystifies,  obscures, 
disparages,  or  refuses  to  confess  that  "  Jesus  Christ 
has  come  in  human  nature"  we  deny,  and  although 
the  author  tells  us  he  '•  knows  what  Quakerism  is,"  yet 
we  have  seen,  that  by  the  identical  authorities  to  whom 
he  refers,  this  precise  allegation  is  declared  to  be  a 
calumny,  and  it  is  called  by  Barclay  himself  "  a  very 
great  slander  !"  And  yet  upon  a  repetition  of  this 
"  slander"  the  author  before  us  declares  "  it  is  my  full 
and  deep  conviction  that  the  author  of  the  scrip- 
tures IS  NOT  the  author  OF  QUAKERISM,"  and  on 
the  ground  of  this  "  calumny"  alone,  he  declares  that 
their  "inward  light"  is  "  blindness, grossness,  material- 
ism, presuming  folly,  and  essential  falsehood  !" 

So  much  for  this  attempt  to  denounce  Quakerism 
as  a  "  damnable  lieresy,"  a  "  pestilent  limb  of  anti- 
Christ,  because  of  their  "  fundamental  error"  which  is 
the  doctrine  of  "  inward  light,"  "  the  monstrous  and 
mortal  sophism  of  the  Quakers." 

Our  author  having  erred  so  egregiously  at  the  very 
threshold  of  his  labored  argument  on  the  subject  of 
this  "grand  error,"  finds  it  impossible  to  extricate 
himself  from  similar  blundering,  at  every  subsequent 
step  of  his  progress.    For  having  found  it "  impossible  ** 


72 

to  acquire  "  any  intelligible  definition  of  its  nature," 
and  confessed  that  he  "  cannot  define  the  nature  of 
what  Friends  mean  by  the  inward  light,"  he  contents 
himself  with  writing  "  as  a  witness  and  not  a  disputer," 
and  we  have  already  seen  that  his  "  witness  is  not 
tTnie."  Nor  does  he  succeed  any  better  in  the  argu- 
ment he  attempts,  seeing  that  his  premises  are  false. 
Having  grossly  misconceived  and  misrepresented 
this  prominent  doctrine  of  Quakerism,  he  reasons  as  if 
he  perfectly  understood  it,  though  he  had  previously 
declared  an  intelligible  definition  of  it  "  impossible  /" 

From  the  admission  of  this  universal  light  within, 
he  says, "  the  argument  is  rational  and  sound  that  the 
scriptures  are  superfluous"  and  this  without  having 
found  out  what  that "  light"  is  !  And  he  then  proceeds 
to  involve  Quakerism  in  this  absurd  sophism  of  his 
own  invention  that  the  light  is  paramount,  while  the 
scriptures  are  inferior,  and  charges  the  system  with 
making  "  a  specious  substitute  for  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, which  is  intrinsically  and  relatively  superior  to 
the  oracles  of  God."  This  calumny  has  been  amply 
refuted  in  the  notice  already  taken  of  a  former  part  of 
this  work,  and  we  may  have  occasion  to  refer  to  it 
again.  The  specimen  of  verbose  reasoning  in  which 
the  author  has  indulged  on  this  subject,  would  be  un- 
exceptionable but  for  the  single  defect,  that  the  founda- 
tion or  major  proposition  is  a  fiction,  which  is  a  fault 
prodigiously  in  the  way,  even  of  his  "  Baconian  logic." 
And  yet  on  these  false  premises  he  says,  "  In  this 
country,  Friends  are  at  this  day,  mainly,  I  fear  a  com- 


73 

munity  of  infidels, — only  they  wozildhave  us  think  thsit 
they  love  Christianity  !" 

To  render  this  denunciation  plausible,  he  argues : 
that  if  Friends  will  say  that  their  rule  is  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  this  is  the  inward  light  of  which  they  speak, 
that  then  they  must  either  admit,  that "  their  law  is  the 
law  giver  himself;"  or  honestly  "  deny  that  they  are 
Trinitarians,  and  consequently  deny  that  the  Spirit  is 
God."  And  after  this  grave  and  weighty  argument, 
the  author  assumes  an  air  of  vociferous  triumph,  and 
elegantly  exclaims  "  let  any  man  of  sense  and  princi- 
ple, who  prefers  not  to  swing  gored,  through  life,  and 
his  offspring  with  him,  on  either  horn  of  this  bellowing 
monster  ;  deny  him,  and  take  the  word  of  God  as  his 
highest  rule  in  religion,  in  this  world  and  in  that  which 
is  to  come  !  The  absurdity  of  the  system,  the  putrid 
quality  of  its  very  heart  is  such, — but  I  leave  the 
reader  who  can,  to  think  that  it  is  not  among  im- 
pious absurdities  and  destructive  errors,  the  most  con- 
founding and  confounded  ! 

Monstrum  horrendum !  informe,  ingens,  cui  lumen  ademptum.—  Virg. 

[       "  A  monster  tremendous— mis-shapen— forlorn— 
Whose  fiction  of  light,  is  the  cliallenge  of  scorn  !" 

The  foregoing  precious  morceau  of  "  Baconian 
logic,"  is  thus  transcribed,  that  the  reader  may  com- 
pare it  with  the  "  logic  of  the  New  Testament,^*  with 
which  the  author  declares  it  to  be  identical. 

7 


74 

The  author,  it  will  be  perceived,  insists  that  the 
doctrine  of  inward  light,  as  held  by  Friends,  neces- 
sarily renders  "  the  scriptures  superjluous"  and  he 
proceeds  to  ridicule  their  pretensions  to  inspiration, 
in  a  strain  of  satire,  for  which  he  seems  to  have  an  irre- 
sistible propensity.  Here  he  attributes  to  them,  views 
and  claims  to  "  plenary  inspiration,"  such  as  no  intelli- 
gent Quaker  ever  made.  Thus  in  one  place  he  says, 
"  the  oracles  of  the  Quakers  are  the  oracles  of  God — 
or,  those  of  the  apostles  are  not — or,  the  inspiration 
of  the  Quakers  is  a  miserable  delusion."  And  again, 
he  charges  upon  Friends  the  sentiment,  which  no  one 
among  them  ever  believed,  that  "  their  sermons  would 
make  another  Bible,  if  they  were  only  collected  and 
bound  in  one  book,  beginning  with  Fox,  and  proceed- 
ing onward  to  living  prophets  and  prophetesses.  1" 

Now  we  would  ask  this  author,  if  that  charity 
which  "hopethall  things"  can  justify  so  gros?  a  per- 
version of  the  doctrines  of  Friends.  Let  Barclay  say 
what  they  mean  when  they  claim  immediate  revela- 
tion, and  it  will  be  seen  that  "  inspired  actions"  and 
"  inspired  irresponsibleness,"  liowever  heretical,  con- 
stitute no  part  of  their  system  ;  and  the  author  might 
therefore  have  spared  his  labored  argument,  as  well 
as  his  splenetic  sarcasm,  on  this  fiction  of  his  own 
imagination. 

On  the  doctrine  of  immediate  revelation^  as  an  in- 
tegral part  of  Quakerism,  Barclay  founds  it  solely 
upon  Matt.  xi.  27,  and  lays  down  the  following  pro- 


75 

positions,  as  containing  all  they  mean  by  this  doctrine, 
viz. 
I' 

I.  That  there  is  no  knowledge  of  the  Father  but 
by  the  Son. 

II.  That  there  is  no  knowledge  of  the  Son  but  by 
the  Spirit. 

III.  That  by  the  Spirit,  God  hath  always  revealed 
himself  to  his  children. 

IV.  That  these  revelations  were  the  formal  object 
of  the  saints'  faith. 

V.  That  the  same  continueth  to  be  the  object  of  the 
saints'  faith  to  this  day. 

And  after  arguing  each  of  these  from  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  he  says,  "  It  is  one  thing  to  affirm  that  the 
true  and  undoubted  revelation  of  God's  Spirit  is  certain 
and  infaUib!e,  and  another  thing  to  affirm,  that  this  or 
that  particular  person  or  people  is  led  infallibly  by 
this  revelation  in  what  they  speak  or  write,  because 
they  affirm  themselves  to  be  so  led."  "  Moreover,  these 
divine  and  inward  revelations,  which  we  establish  as 
absolutehf  necessary ,  for  the  founding  of  the  true  faith  ; 
as  they  do  not,  neither  can  they,  at  any  time  contradict 
the  Scripture's  testimony  or  sound  reason.'^ 

Again,  "  We  look  upon  the  Scriptures  as  the  only 


76 

fit  outward  judge  of  controversies  among  Christians  ; 
and  that  whatsoever  doctrine  is  contrary  unto  their 
testimony,  may  therefore  justly  he  rejected  as  false. 
And  for  our  parts  we  are  very  willing  that  all  our 
doctrines  and  practices,  he  tried  hy  them,  as  the  judge 
and  test.  We  shall  also  be  very  willing  to  admit, 
tliat  whatsoever  any  do,  pretending  to  the  Spirit,  which 
is  contrary  to  the  Scriptures,  he  accounted  and  reckon- 
ed, a  delusion  of  the  devil!" 

Finally,  in  repelling  as  he  does, indignantly, the  iden- 
tical charge  made  by  our  author,  "that  if  men  be  now 
immediately  led  and  ruled  by  the  Spirit,  they  may  add 
new  scriptures,  of  equal  authority  with  the  old,"  Bar- 
clay says,  "  we  have  shut  the  door  upon  all  such  doc- 
trine by  affirming,  that  the  Scriptures  give  a/wZ/  and 
ample  testimony  to  all  the  principal  doctrines  of  the 
Christian  faith.  For  we  do  firmly  believe,  that  there 
is  no  other  gospel  or  doctrine  to  be  preached,  but 
that  which  was  delivered  by  the  apostles  ;  and  do 
freely  subscribe  to  that  saying,  let  him  that  preacheth 
any  other  gospel  than  that  which  hath  been  already 
preached  hy  the  apostles  and  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
he  accursed"  •'  So  we  distinguish  betwixt  a  revela- 
tion of  a  new  gospel  and  new  doctrines^  and  a  new 
revelation  of  the  good  old  gospel,  and  doctrines  ;  the 
last  we  plead  for,  but  the  first  we  utterly  deny  !" 

I  have  quoted  thus  largely  from  this  work,  which 
our  author  "  has  often  read,  and  recently  thoroughly 
reperused,'^  that  the  reader  may  see  with  what  sem- 


77 

blance  of  truth,  after  "  thoroughly  reperusing"  such 
unequivocal  testimonies  as  these,  this  author  should 
charge  the  system  with  being  founded  upon  "  the 
QUAKER  SCRIPTURES,  the  sacred  writings  of  Fox, 
Barclay,  Penn,  and  others."  "  Their  preachers  are 
just  as  really  inspired  as  was  Paul ;  and  why  go  to  his 
antiquated  writings,  when  they  have  fresh  inspirations 
at  hand."  And  where  is  his  sense  of  candor  and  jus- 
tice, to  say  nothing  of  Christianity,  when  he  penned 
such  sentences  as  the  following,  among  his  charges 
against  Quakerism  ? 

"  It  is  evident,  that  the  whole  massive  structure  of 
Quakerism  is  built  upon  George  Fox,  Robert  Barclay, 
Sarah  Grubb,  and  a  thousand  other  prophets  and 
prophetesses,  who  have  been  recently  commissioned 
and  inspired,  exactly  as  were  Moses,  Isaiah,  Matthew, 
and  Paul, "  and  all  the  other  writers  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures." And  he  talks  of  Quakers  believing,  that  "  a  cer- 
tain  youth  of   Scotch   nativity,   French   education, 
Komish  predilections,  and  very  respectable  talents, 
was  converted  to  the  sentiments  of  George  Fox,  and 
inspired  to  write  a  book,  as  good  as  the  Bible,  if  not 
better,  called  Barclay's  Apology."     And  in  answer 
to  the  question,  what  will  become  of  Friends  ?    he 
affirms,  "  They  will  all  be  lost  wdio  have   nothing 
better  than  pure  Quakerism,  to  defend  them  from  the 
fire  !    These  are  my  convictions  :    and  I  know  that 
they  are  just  as  true  as  the  New  Testament  /"  If  this 
last  sentence  be  not  claiming   "  plenary  inspiration," 
and  out-heroding Herod  in  "pretensions  to  inf^illir 

7* 


78 

bility/'  then  Quakerism,  nor  "  the  man  of  sin"  himself, 
can  never  be  convicted  of  either. 

We  confess,  that  in  point  of  sophistry,  misrepre- 
sentation, vulgarity,  and  profanity,  we  have  seldom 
seen  this  vi^ork  surpassed,  in  all  the  "  controversial 
divinity"  which  has  fallen  under  our  notice  ;  not  ex- 
cepting the  low  ribaldry  of  Paine,  Owen,  and  Fanny 
Wright;  and  these  arc  only  a  few  specimens  from 
a  multitude  which  might  .be  selected,  even  more 
exceptionable.  We  have  preferred,  however,  to 
select  these,  and  compare  them  with  the  previous 
extracts  from  Barclay,  rather  than  to  argue  against 
their  falsehood  and  absurdity.  And  we  now  appeal 
to  the  intelligent  reader,  whatever  may  be  his  opi- 
nion of  Quakerism  ;  whether  the  spirit  which  die 
tated,  or  the  system  which  requires,  such  disin- 
genuousness  and  sorcery,  be  entitled  to  the  sacred 
name  of  Christianity  ? 

But  our  author  next  takes  up  the  doctrine  of 
justification,  and  affirms  that,  on  this  subject,  "  Bar- 
clay touches  a  spring,  fires  a  train,  and  ignites  a 
mine  of  explosion  and  ruin,  to  his  total  Quakerism  !" 
"  It  is  impossible  for  a  Quaker  consistently  to  learn 
and  love  the  scripture  doctrine  of  justification." — 
"  Barclay  has  written  between  40  and  50  pages  of 
his  Apology,  under  the  head  of  justification,  in 
which  he  proves  mainly  this — that  he  never  under- 
stood the  subject."  "  Reader,  the  whole  dissertation 
is  a  *  continent  of  mud  /'  " 


79 

Such  are  the  charges  gravely  brought  against 
Quakerism,  and  especially  against  Barclay.  I  shall 
here  make  a  few  brief  extracts  from  this  "  continent 
of  mud,^'  as  our  author  elegantly  calls  the  chapter 
on  justification. 

"  The  obedience,  sufferings,  and  death  of  Christ,  is 
that  by  which  the  soul  obtains  remission  of  sins,  and 
is  the  procuring  cause  of  that  grace,  by  whose  inward 
working  Christ  comes  to  be  formed  inwardly,  and 
the  soul  to  be  made  conformable  unto  liim,  and  so 
just  and  justified." 

And  having  next  attempted  to  prove  that,  "  by 
justification,  is  to  be  understood  really  a  being  made 
righteous,"  he  affirms,  "  that  it  is  by  this  revelation 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  new  creation  in  us,  that  we 
are  justified  ;"  which  he  proceeds  to  argue  from  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  wherein  "  Christ,  in  you,  the  hope 
of  glory,"  and  "  Christ,  being  formed  in  you,"  are 
the  expressions  employed,  to  denote  this  state  of  grace 
in  the  believer.  The  following  additional  quotation 
will,  perhaps,  be  sufficiently  explicit  to  enable  the 
reader  to  judge  whether  Barclay  "  never  understood 
the  subject." 

''  The  original  and  fundamental  cause  of  our  justi- 
ficc^tion,  is  the  love  of  God  manifested  in  the  appear- 
ance of  Jesits  Christ  in  the  flesh,  who,  by  his  life, 
death,  sufferings,  and  obedience,  made  a  way  for  our 
reconciUation,  and  became  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  that 


80 

are  past,  and  purchased  unto  us  this  seed  and  grace, 
from  which  this  birth  arises,  and  in  which  Jesus 
Christ  -is  inwardly  received,  formed,  and  brought 
forth  in  us,  in  his  Qwn  pure  and  holy  image  of  right- 
eousness, by  which  our  souls  live  unto  God,  and  are 
clothed  with  him,  and  have  put  him  on,  even  as  the 
Scripture  speaks  :  Eph.  iv.  23,  24,  Gal.  iii.  27,  we  stand 
justified  and  saved  in  and  by  him,  and  by  his  spirit 
and  grace,  Rom.  iii.  24.  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  Tit.  iii.  7. 
So  again,  reciprocally,  we  are  hereby  made  partakers 
of  the  fulness  of  his  merits,  and  his  cleansing  blood 
is  near,  to  wash  away  every  sin  and  infirmity,  and 
to  heal  all  our  backslidings,  as  often  as  we  turn  to- 
wards him  by  unfeigned  repentance,  and  become 
renewed  by  his  Spirit.  Those  then  that  find  him 
thus  raised,  and  ruling  in  them,  have  a  true  ground  of 
hope  to  believe,  that  they  are  justified  by  his  blood." 

We  confess,  that  there  are  some  peculiarities  in 
the  style  of  expression  in  these  quotations,  which 
may  be  regarded  as  "  Quaker  provincialisms  ;"  but 
we  ask,  where  is  the  "  mysticism  and  heresy,"  so 
loudly  complained  of?  Do  these  extracts  resemble 
any  part  of  a  "  continent  of  mud  V^  It  is  plain,  we 
think,  that  the  author  has  no  authority  to  pronounce 
Barclay  "  dreamy,  Jesuitical,  mystical,  or  heretical," 
on  this  grand  doctrine  of  Christian  theology,  what- 
ever peculiarities  may  characterize  his  exposition 
of  it,  since  these  may  be  readily  accounted  for  by 
the  times  and  circumstances  under  which  he  wrote. 
And,  indeed,  it  is  no  marvel,  if  "  he  had  been  led 


81 

into  the  other  extreme,"  in  avoiding  the  antimonian 
heresies,  so  fatally  prevalent,  in  those  times  ;  and  his 
being  led  to  confound  justification  and  sanctification, 
was  undoubtedly  the  result  of  the  testimony  he  was 
called  to  bear  against  those  views  of  justification, 
which  gave  authority  for  the  grossest  licentiousness, 
under  perverted  views  of  "  imputed  righteousness." 

But  we  have  another  more  serious  charge  against 
our  author, — that  of  deliberate  misrepresentation, 
and  we  find  it  in  the  following  paragraph : — 

"Barclay  evidently   dislikes  the  word,  justified. 
*  If  we  must  use  that  word.'    Indeed  !  how  reluctant 
to   use   one  of  the   'words,  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
teacheth  !'  one  of  the  richest  in  the  vocabulary  of 
Jesus  Christ !" 

Here,  we  say,  is  deliberate  misrepresentation, 
whether  designed  or  not,  we  hope  not.  "  If  we  must 
use  that  word,"  is  applied  by  Barclay  to  the  word 
formally,  and  not  to  the  word  justified,  as  any  reader 
may  see  by  turning  to  the  passage  on  page  208, 
Barcl.  Apol.  And  that  this  is  his  unequivocal  mean- 
ing, may  be  further  seen  from  page  224,  where  he 
says,  "  the  immediate,  nearest,  or  formal  cause,  (if 
we  must,  in  condescension  to  some,  use  this  word,) 
of  a  man's  justification  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  the  re- 
velation of  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  soul,  &c.  And  again, 
on  page  215,  where  he  says,  "  It  is,  hy  Christ,  formed 
within,  that  we  are  (so  to  speak)  formally  justified  in 


83 

the  sight  of  God."  Here  we  see,  as  in  the  former  case, 
his  dislike  is  not  to  the  word  justified,  but  to  the  word 
formally,  as  used  in  the  scholastic  divinity  of  the 
times,  to  designate  the  proximate  cause  of  justifica- 
tion. We  look  upon  this  perversion  of  Barclay  to  be 
quite  as  Jesuitical  as  any  thing,  even  pretended  by 
our  author,  to  attach  to  Quakerism. 

Finally,  to  exterminate  this  grand  error  of  the  sys- 
tem, "  the  inward  light,"  our  author  next  proceeds  to 
examine  the  proof  texts  of  Barclay  ;  and  the  first,  is 
John  i.  9.  "  That  was  the  true  light,  which  lighteth 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world."  He  objects 
to  the  interpretation  of  Friends  : — 

1.  That  "  the  text  is  entirely  solitary,  and  without 
a  parallel,  I  think,  in  the  whole  Bible."  He  forgot  to 
look  at  the  passage  in  loco,  or  he  would  have  been 
taught,  by  the  margin,  that  parallel  passages  are 
found  in  Isaiah  Ixix.  6,  and  Acts  xiii.  47,  aim  multis 
aliis.  But  even  if  it  were  thus  without  a  parallel,  it 
would  ill  become  him,  thus  to  evade  the  "  known  and 
genuine  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  It  is  almost  as 
bad  as  "  turning  over  the  leaf,"  as  he  accuses  the 
Quakers  of  doing,  when  they  find  predestination  in 
the  Bible,  and  would  have  to  be  done  much  more 
frequently. 

2.  He  objects  to  this  passage,  that  "  it  utterly  fails 
them,  in  respect  to  internal  location,  inasmuch  as  it 
does  pot  say,  an  inward  light^  and  he  thence  argues, 


83 

that  Christ  is  an  external  light,  and  not  an  internal 
one  ; — such  an  one  probably  as,  he  says,  he  saw  at  his 
conversion,  when  "  the  chamber  became  luminous," 
and  he  tells  us,  he  had  himself  well  nigh  become  a 
"  disciple  of  moonshine,"  like  George  Fox,  whom  he 
calls  a  "  lustrous  son  of  moonshine  ;" — although  there 
was,  it  must  be  conceded,  a  striking  difference  in  their 
light,  since  George  had  it  "  inward,"  and  our  author 
"  outward  !" 

3.  He  contends,  that  there  is  no  necessity  that  we 
should  so  interpret  the  passage,  since  it  may  be  dif- 
ferently rendered,  either  by  reading  it,  "coming  into 
the  world,  lighteth  every  man  ;" — or  which  "  shines 
toward  every  man,"  &c.,  or  it  may  signify  by  an 
ellipsis,  "  every  one,  that  ever  was  truly  enlightened, 
obtained,  from  "  the  word,  all  his  light."  And  then 
adds,  "  that  one,  or  possibly  all,  of  these  renderings, 
are  the  truth,  I  am  confident,"  and  he  thinks  the 
passage  "  might  be  materially  improved,"  if  it  was 
designed  to  express  the  meaning  of  Friends,  and 
even  proposes  a  substitute  for  these  "  genuine  words 
of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

But  finding  argument  too  impotent,  even  aided  by 
new  translations,  to  deprive  Friends  of  this  proof 
text,  in  favor  of  what  they  mean  by  the  inward  light, 
he  next  resorts  to  ridicule,  the  weapon  for  which  he 
has  a  singular  prepossession,  as  the  following  choice 
specimen  will  show : — 


"  But  suppose  this  text  proves  the  reality  of  a 


uni- 


84 

versal  inward  light,  shining  constantly,  and  yet  near 
to  suffocation,  somewhere  above  or  below  the  dia- 
phragm— not  to  be  too  nice  on  questions  that  tend  to 
researches,  topical  and  physiological,  I  discern  ano- 
ther diliiculty.  I  could  not  descend  into  their  mines, 
without  a  better  safety  lamp  than  Sir  Humphrey 
Davy  could  invent,  against  the  detonation  of  subter- 
ranean gases.  I  have  no  '  faith  in  the  effectual  ope- 
ration' of  the  nondescript  glimmer  within." 

To  find  a  Christian  minister  thus  trifling  with  "  the 
word  of  God,"  as  do  the  lowest  clan  of  infidels,  is  to 
us  at  once  a  source  of  pity  and  indignation.  In  com- 
menting on  the  "  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  we  might 
have  expected  that  "  the  glory  of  the  mercy  seat 
would  awe  him  to  reserve,  so  near  the  ineffable 
Shekinah  that  abides  there,"  especially  when  the 
text  under  review  is  one  which  declares  the  charac- 
ter and  offices  of  Christ  Jesus,  the  Lord. 

Before  leaving  this  text,  however,  which  our  author 
finds  it  so  difficult  to  dispose  of,  he  contends,  that 
even  if  it  proves  the  reality  of  a  universal  light 
within,  yet  still  it  disproves  the  doctrine  of  Friends. 

"  For,"  says  he,  "  John  did  not  point  out  that 
UghtJ*  "  He  testifies  of  Jesus  Christ,  points  to  the 
Lamb  of  God,  and  tells  the  people  to  behold  Him." 
XV.  36. 

Indeed  !  and  does  our  author  intend  this  as  an  ex- 
position of  this  passage,  and  imply  that  we  are  to 


85 

BEHOLD  "  outwardly"  the  Lamb  of  God,  as  did  those 
to  whom  John  spake.  Or  are  we  not  to  behold  this 
"  Light  of  the  world"  at  all,  because  he  no  longer 
appears  outwardly  in  human  nature.  Such  an  argu- 
ment is  unworthy  alike  of  the  author,  and  the  sacred- 
ness  of  his  theme;  and  yet,  upon  this  and  similar 
perversions  of  the  "  word  of  God,"  does  he  call  the 
doctrine  of  inward  light  a  "  damnable  heresy,"  and 
implicate  Quakerism  in  the  charge  of  ''  heretical 
madness."  And  finally,  he  avows  his  own  creed  in 
the  following  explicit  language  : 

*'  Soberly,  we  allege  that  there  is  no  supernatural 
LIGHT  in  menr 

Is    this    then    the    creed    of   the    author,  and    of 
those    who    have    "  a    oneness   of  tlieological  senti- 
7nenf^wiih  him. — Is  this  his  confession? — "  Soberly," 
"  there  is  no  supernatural  light  in  men  !" — Does  he 
mean  that  there  is  no  light  of  any  kind  in  men,  or 
does  he  intend  to  say,  that  their  inward  light  is  not 
"  supernatural  ?"     If  the   former,  he  would    repro- 
bate, and  "  eternally  unchurch    and  undo"  himself, 
and  every  other  cliild  of  Adam  ; — and  if  the  latter, 
then  he  claims  a  natural  light  in  man,  which  is  di- 
rectly and  palpably  heretical,  according  to  his  own 
showing.     Nay  more,   if   this    article    of  his  own 
"  confession"    be  true,    then    the    Holy  Scriptures, 
which  speak  of  Christ,  as  the  "  Light  of  the  world," 
being  "  preached  in  every  creature  under  heaven," 
and,  with  reference  to  believers,  "  Christ  formed  in 

8 


86 

the  heart,"  and  "  Christ,  in  you,  the  hope  of  glory ,^' 
are  all  "  Falsely  Translated,"  unless  it  can  be 
shown  that  all  this  "  light  in  men"  is  not  "  super- 
naturaiy  *'  If  he  prefers  not  to  swing,  gored,  through 
life,  on  either  horn  of  this  bellowing  monster"  to 
quote  his  own  elegant  apostrophe,  "  let  him  deny 
him." 

We  are  not  willing  that  this  "creed"  of  our 
author  should  be  regarded  as  identical  with  Cal- 
vinism, any  more  than  with  Christianity,  for  we  do 
not  believe  a  more  "  pestilent  limb  of  anti-Christ," 
than  is  such  a  sentiment,  can  be  found  in  all  the 
alleged  "  heretical  madness"  of  Quakerism  itself. 

In  the  epistle,  prefixed  to  the  French  New  Tes- 
tament, we  find  that  Calvin  himself,  has  not  only  dis- 
claimed this  heresy  of  our  author,  but  has  fallen  pre- 
cisely into  the  views  of  Quakerism. 

"  The  Lord,"  says  he,  "  never  left  himself  without 
a  witness,  even  toward  them^  unto  ichom  he  has  not 
sent  any  knowledge  of  his  word.  Forasmuch  as  all 
creatures,  from  the  firmament  to  the  centre  of  the 
earth,  might  be  witnesses  and  messengers  of  his 
glory  unto  all  men,  to  draw  them  to  seek  him  ;  and, 
indeed,  there  is  no  need  to  seek  him  very  far,  for 
EVERY  ONE  might  find  him  in  his  own  self  !" — 
Though  Mr.  Fletcher  shrewdly  remarks,  tliat  here 
**  The  Scriptures  forced  Calvin  himself  into  a  happy 
inconsistency  with  Calvinism  ;"  yet  this  is  plainly  all 


87 

for  which  Barclay  ever  contended,  and  is  the  very 
**  Grand  Error,"  which  our  author  first  brands  as  a 
"  damnable  heresy,"  and  then  belabors  without 
mercy. 

Finales  we  cannot  withhold  the  expression  of  our 
conviction,  that  the  sentiment  of  the  author,  that 
"  there  is  no  supernatural  light  in  men"  is  as  unscrip- 
tural  and  heterodox  an  error,  as  is  contained  in  any 
heretical  system  under  heaven ;  not  excepting  the 
*'  grand  error"  of  Quakerism  itself.  And  we  now 
take  occasion  to  show,  that  it  is  directly  contradicted 
by  no  less  a  personage  than  the  author  himself,  in 
another  part  of  the  work  before  us. 

In  speaking  of  "  the  person  and  office  work  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  vital  to  all  saving  knowledge  of 
God,"  he  says,  that  "  this  Spirit  has  done  many 
things  without  us,  as  well  as  in  us,"  and  admits,  that 
"  all  his  influences  (both  outward  and  inward)  are 
necessary,"  and,  "  by  His  influences,  I  mean,  all 
that  he  does  in  whatever  aspect,  in  accomplishing  the 
salvation  of  the  saved" 

He  next  proceeds  to  define  those  influences  as 
"  miraculous  and  ordinary ;"  and  by  the  latter,  he 
means  "  all  those  influences  by  which  the  mind  is 
enlightened,  convinced,  converted,"  (fee,  or  all  those 
by  which  "  men  are  brought  to  consider,  seek  reli- 
gion, repent,  obey,  worship,  believe,  practise  holi- 
ness, and  persevere  to  life  everlasting  ,* — including 


88 

awakening,  conviction,  regeneration,  sanctification, 
consolation,  universal  piety,  and  ultimate  salvation.*' 
I  call  these  the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  because  they 
are  virtually  so  denominated  in  the  word  of  God,"  &c. 

Now,  we  ask,  are  all  these  natural  or  superna- 
tural? If  the  latter,  are  diey  works  of  darkness 
or  of  light?  If  of  light,  is  this  outward  or  inward 
light?  To  be  sure,  he  calls  them  ordinary,  in  con- 
tradistinction to  the  miraculous  influences  of  the 
Spirit  ;  but  will  he  deny  the  attribute  of  light  to 
the  office  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  he  uses 
the  term,  "  enlightened''^  among  His  influences  ?  Or 
will  he  allege,  that  these  are  outward  in  their  na- 
ture and  effects,  and,  therefore,  not  supernatural? 
How  else  will  he  sustain  the  article '  of  his  creed, 
which  affirms  that  "  there  is  no  supernatural  light 
in  man?''  "  If  this  picture  be  a  ludicrous  one,  the 
fault  is  not  in  the  painter,  but  in  the  original." 

But  that  the  reader  may  see  the  true  reason  of  our 
author's  objection  to  this  proof  text  of  Barclay,  he 
may  compare  the  language  employed  by  inspiration, 
"  That  was  the  true  light,  which  liglitcth  every  man 
that  Cometh  into  the  world,"  with  either  of  th<> 
translations,  or  rather  perversions  of  our  author. 
Here  he  will  perceive,  that  our  author  has  no  ob- 
jection to  the  truth,  that  Christ  is  the  "  true  light  ;'* 
but  ONLY  to  that  portion  of  the  text,  which  declares, 
that  he  "  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world''     He   will    not   quarrel   with    the    doctrine, 


89 

that  the  Holy  Spirit  "  enlightens  the  saved,'  or  the 
"  elect ;"  but  only  with  the  doctrine  of  Friends,  and 
of  the  Bible,  which  maintains,  that  "  a  manifestation 
of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal." 
Accordingly,  on  the  357th  page,  we  find  him  disclos- 
ing the  true  reason  why  he  affirms,  that  "  the  Qua- 
ker spirit  is  another  spirit — the  Quaker  influence, 
another  influence — and  the  Quaker  doctrine,  ano- 
ther doctrine."  I  transcribe  only  a  part  of  this  long 
paragraph. 

"  The  whole  economy  ©f  the  influences  of  the 
Spirit,  depends  supremely  on  the  sovereign  plea- 
sure of  the  only  wise  God.  I  mean  by  this,  not 
to  exclude  human  agency  or  accountability  from 
their  proper  place,  and  mediate  injluence  in  the 
extent,  nor  to  favor  any  notion  of  fatality  or  des- 
tiny, independent  of  the  voluntary  conduct  of  men  ; — 
but  1  do  mean  to  deny  the  existence  of  absolute 
chance,  and  to  put  the  event  in  common  with  all 
OTHER  EVENTS  in  the  sovereign  arbitration  of  God. 
I  mean  to  deny  the  Arminian  view,  which  en- 
thrones eternal  chance,  and  exalts  the  autocrasy  of 
the  creature  'above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that 
is  worshipped,'  and  puts  the  Creator  in  a  posture 
of  waiting  ignorance,  or  sincere  discomfiture,  rather 
than  of  dominion  over  all,  blessed  for  ever." 

Here  we    have    a    little    clearer   avowal  of  the 
sentiments  of  our  author,  for  the  foregoing  sentence 
distinctively  discloses  the  whole  doctrines  of  ultra- 
8* 


00 

Calvinism,  under  the  terms  "  sovereign  pleasure^ 
and  arbitration  of  God,''  on  which  *'  depends  su- 
premely" not  merely  "  the  event"  here  under  consi- 
deration, but  "  ALL  OTHER  EVENTS. "  And  at  the 
same  time,  we  see  here  what  the  author  regards 
as  the  **  mortal  sin"  and  "  damnable  heresy"  of 
Quakerism,  which  is  the  ^^  Arminianism"  of  the 
system.  And  unfortunately  for  the  author,  he  blun- 
ders equally  in  defining  what  is  "the  Arminian 
view,"  as  he  has  done  in  relation  to  Quakerism ; — 
and  from  this  specimen  we  affirm,  that  whether 
or  not,  he  "knows  wha-t  Quakerism  is,"  it  is  pal- 
pably evident,  that  he  is  either  ignorant  of  Armi- 
nianism,  or  grossly  slanders  it. 

Let  us  hear  him.  "  The  Arminian  view  en- 
thrones eternal  chance !  and  exalts  the  autocrasy 
of  the  creature!  above  *  all  that  is  called  God,  or 
that  is  worshipped ;'  and  puts  the  Creator  in  a  pos- 
ture of  waiting  ignorance  or  sincere  discomfiture  ! 
Here  we  have  three  distinct  charges  against  Armi- 
nians,  each  of  which  is  unequivocally  false,  and 
has  been  indignantly  repelled  a  thousand  times, 
having  been  as  often  alleged  by  other  Antimonian 
Calvinists. 

1.  It  ^*  enthrones  etetnal  chance  r  What  does  he 
mean  by  eteimal  chance  ?  The  impiety,  to  say  no- 
thing of  the  absurdity,  of  such  an  indea  or  expres- 
sion, is  an  honor,  to  which  our  author  has  the  exclu- 
sive title.    No  Arminian  ever  gave  utterance  to  such 


91 

a  thought,  and  if  he  ever  conceived  it,  he  ceased  to 
be  an  Arminian,  and  possibly  had  already  become  a 
Calvinist.  The  author  may  possibly  apply  eternal 
to  chance,  as  his  system  does  to  foreknowledge ; 
although  he  admits  that  the  latter  was  later  than 
the  decrees,    and   founded  on   them,  though   both 

ETERNAL 


If 


2.  He  charges,  as  included  in  "  the  Arminian 
view,"  the  "  exaltation  of  the  autocrasy  of  the  crea- 
ture above  all  that  is  called  God !"  What  authority 
can  he  produce  from  any  waiter,  even  professedly 
Arminian,  for  the  attribute  oi autocrasy  hQing  ascribed 
to  the  creature  in  any  aspect,  much  less  as  being  ex- 
alted above  God  !  Such  stupid  blasphemy  may  he 
included,  for  aught  we  know,  in  some  of  the  hydra 
heads  of  Calvinism  ;  for  the  protean  forms  and  cha- 
meleon colors  of  this  monster,  may  give  authority 
for  any  conceivable  absurdity, — and  the  author  may 
be  nicknaming  some  of  these,  by  the  hateful  and 
hated  term  Arminian  ; — but  if  so,  we  protest  against 
the  profanation,  as  little  short  of  sacrilege. 

3.  He  next  affirms  that,  in  *'  the  Arminian  view, 
the  Creator  is  placed  in  a  posture  of  waiting  igno- 
rance or  sincere  discomfiture.^^  Here  again  he  bears 
"  false  witness  against  his  neighbor,"  for,  to  ascribe 
such  a  sentiment  to  Arminians,  or  to  any  of  those 
whose  creed  bears  his  name,  in  contradistinction  to 
Calvinists,  is  but  to  repeat  a  calumny  which  has  been 
a  thousand  times  refuted,  and  to  betray  an  ignorance 


02 

which  in  this  author  is  highly  criminal.     We  shall 
only  remark, 

1.  Arminianism  does  not  "  enthrone  eternal  chance/' 
though  it  contends  for  future  contingencies ;  by  which 
we  understand,  those  things,  which  may  or  may  not 
be  done,  as  the  free  unnecessitatcd  will  of  man  shall 
choose  to  do  them  or  not.  Such  a  contingency  as 
was  our  author's  book,  about  which  he  hesitated  for  so 
many  years,  until,  as  he  affirms,  his  attack  of  the 
cholera,  in  1832,  determined  him  to  delay  it  no 
longer. 

2.  Arminianism  does  not  endow  the  "  creature" 
with  "  autocrasy,"  nor  exalt  this  autocrasy  "  above  all 
that  is  called  God';"  though  it  maintains,  that  the  pro- 
duction of  the  present  work  was  the  voluntary  act  of 
the  author,  for  which  he  is  as  much  accountable,  here 
and  hereafter,  as  if  he  was  himself  possessed  oi  auto- 
crasy, or  as  if  he  had  performed  his  task,  by  his  own 
unassisted  power,  independent  of  all  influence,  celes- 
tial, terrestrial,  or  infernal. 

3.  Arminianism  does  not  put  the  Creator  in  a  posture 
of  waiting  ignorance  or  sincere  discomfiture ;" 
although  it  does  not  ascribe  to  God,  that  unscriptural 
sovei^eigntij  which  would  put  all  events,  and  among 
others,  the  production  of  the  author's  book,  among 
those  acts  which  God  foreknows,  because  he  has  de- 
creed them.  Thus  making  God  himself  the  author 
of  a  work,  filled  as  this  is,  with  all  manner  of  inconsis- 
tency, mistake,  and  uncharitableness.     We  cannot, 


93 

with  the  author  and  his  creed,  "  give  the  glory  to  God's 
sovereignty,  for  predestinating  the  reprobate  necessa- 
rily to  continue  in  sin,  and  be  damned  ;  nor  ascribe  to 
Him  the  shameful  glory  of  seducing  Eve  in  the  shape 
of  a  lying  serpent,  lest  he  should  not  have  the  glory 
of  being  a  sovereign  and  doing  all  and  in  all." 
Soberly,  we  allege  that  Calvinism  may  be  justly 
charged  with  representing  the  "  Creator  in  a  posture 
of  waiting  ignorance  and  sincere  discomfiture."  at 
which  Arminianism  shudders  ;  for  says  Calvin  him- 
self, "  how  came  God  to  foreknow  man's  fall,  [nisi 
quia  sic  ordinarat]  but  because  he  had  appointed  it  I" 
thus  absurdly  implying,  that  God  knows  what  he  ab- 
solutely decrees,  and  no  more  ! !  Here,  as  has  been 
justly  remarked,  "  Calvinism  allows  loss  foreknow- 
ledge to  God,  than  to  a  stableboy  ; — for  without  de- 
creeing any  thing  about  the  matter,  a  postillion  knows, 
that  if  the  horse  he  curries,  gets  into  his  master's  gar- 
den, some  of  the  beds  will  be  trampled  ;  and  that  if 
a  thief  has  an  opportunity  of  taking  a  guinea  without 
being  seen,  he  will  take  it." 

It  is  plain,  then,  that  all  the  author's  sophistical 
subtlety  about'  the  "  enthronement  of  the  divine 
sovereignty,"  in  his  vituperation  of  "  the  Arminian 
view"  which  he  ascribes  to  Quakerism,  is  but  another 
evidence  of  the  ignorance  and  malevolence,  which 
characterize  his  entire  volume.  And  yet  he  proceeds 
to  combat  "  the  Arminian  view^"  of  Quakerism,  by 
charging  that  system  with  maintaining  that  "  it  is  ab- 
solutely, and  uUiynateJy,  ivholly,  and  only,  with  man's 
will   to  consent  or  not,  and   so   to  self-arbitrate  the 


94 

event  of  salvation  ;"  and  then  asks  "  how  Barclay 
happened  to  consent?"  and  argues  from  its  being 
"  a  mere  hap,"  the  following  absurdities,  1.  "God 
himself  could  not  foreknow  it,"  for  he  can  foreknow 
nothing  that  is  uncertain,  or  rather  nothing  that  he 
has  not  previously  decreed.  2.  "  There  is  no  certain- 
ty of  the  continuance  of  the  church  on  the  earth"  and 
3.  "  God  can  never  raise  up  another  minister,  unless 
chance  happens  to  cause  the  will  to  submit,  to  he  wil- 
ling, to  consent  to  the  impotent  wishes  of  God."  If  all 
this  be  not  "  next  door  to  horrid  impiety"  we  know 
not  where  it  is  to  be  found.  The  whole  of  this  argu- 
ment, if  intended  as  such,  is  too  contemptible  for  sober 
replication.  We  have  already  shown  that  his  major 
proposition  has  no  foundation,  either  in  Arminianism 
or  Quakerism ;  and  if  the  author  really  meant  it  for  any 
thing,  but  an  imposition  on  the  ignorance  and  credulity 
of  his  readers,  we  cannot  withhold  the  opinion,  that 
such  stupidity  must  be  regarded  as  his  misfortune 
rather  than  his  fault,  and  he  is  better  entitled  to  our 
commisseration  than  our  censures. 

We  pass  on  to  the  notice  taken  of 'another  of  the 
proof  texts  of  Barclay,  Titus  ii.  11.  "  For  the  grace  of 
God  that  bringeth  salvation,  hath  appeared  to  all  men, 
&c."  Of  this  passage  he  affirms,  that  ''the  proposition  is 
absolutely  and  eminently  false  /"  and  that  the  passage 
is  ^^ falsely  translated"  for  which  he  appeals  "  to  any 
scholar,  tyro  though  he  be,  in  Uteris  grwcis."  Without 
following  every  part  of  his  criticism,  he  complains  that 
in  the  Greek  the  word  hath  appeared,  (E-n-ecpau*])  occurs 


95 

first  of  all  in  the  sentence,  and  cannot  affect  the  syn- 
tax of  all  men,  which  is  in  the  dative.  This  would 
make  the  passage  read  as  Mr.  Wesley  has  rendered 
it,  before  the  author  was  horn,  "  The  grace  which 
bringeth  salvation  to  all  men,  hath  appeared."  But 
this  would  not  affect  the  doctrine  of  Friends,  and  he 
therefore  proceeds  to  amend  the  translation  still  far- 
ther, by  contending  that  the  w^ord  cwT^jpios-  rendered 
bringeth  sahation,  ought  to  be  translated  "  salvation- 
bearing."  So  that  he  would  have  the  passage  read 
thus  "  The  grace  of  God,  that  is  salvation-bearing  to 
all  men  [wherever  it  comes,]  has  appeared."  Here 
we  see  the  design  of  correcting  the  translation,  is  to 
effect  the  double  object,  of  depriving  Quakers  and 
other  Arminians  of  the  Bible-trulh.it  contains,  and  at 
the  same  time  of  conforming  it  to  his  own  creed. 
Without  arrogating  any  thing  by  way  of  pretension 
to  the  "  school-taught  gift  of  tongues,"  we  deny  the 
propriety  of  his  "  compound  epithet  or  qualifier, 
salvation-bearing''^  as  having  any,  the  least  authority 
in  the  original, and  appeal  to  "any  scholar,  tyro  though 
he  be,  in  Uteris  groecis."  "  The  grace  ot  God  which 
saves,  r\  xapJb"  n  tf^T-y^pjos-  the  grace,  emphatically  saving 
to  all  men,  hath  appeared,"  and  therefore  the  sense  is 
preserved  in  Mr.  Wesley's  version  "  bringeth  salvation 
to  all  men  ;"  which  would  be  Calvinistically  pervert- 
ed, if  rendered  as  the  author  would  have  it,  by  his 
"  compound  epithet  or  qualifier,"  salvation-hearing, 
and  his  still  worse  qualifier  to  all.  men,  "  wherever 

IT  APPEARS  !" 

The   reason  why    our  author    so  zealously    la- 


96    . 

bors  to  explain  away  "  these  genuine  words  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  is  perfectly  apparent  in  the  whole 
scope  of  his  work,  and  is  the  cause  of  his  "  special  zeal 
to  exterminate  Quakerism."  It  is  distinctly  avowed 
on  page  369,  where  he  complains  that  the  doctrine  of 
inward  lifrht,  "  finds  out  a  wav  for  the  salvation  of 
Turks,  Jews,  and  heathen  of  all  sorts,  without  the 
gospel,"  while  he  and  his  creed  predestinate  them  by 
"  God's  free  wrath"  to  "  eternal  damnation  ;"  although 
he  says  he  leaves  all  "  the  heathen  peaceably  and 
submissively,  where  they  are,  in  the  hands  of  the 
Eternal,  and  says,  that  if  when  w^eget  to  heaven,  we 
do  not  find  the  heathens  there,  we  shall  find  there  a 
''perfectly  satisfactory  reason  for  their  absence.'' 
We  suppose  the  reason  will  be  that,  which  the  author 
gives  on  page  435,  why  the  gospel  fails  of  converting 
the  world,  after  affirming  that  the  gospel  is  in  no  sense 
at  fault.  "  Still,  how  glorious,  and  in  grace  how  pre- 
eminent, is  that  DISCRIMINATING  SOVEREIGNTY  !  SUpeV- 

vening  just  here ! — according   to   the    election  op 

GRACE  !" 

These  specimens  may  be  sufficient  to  show  with, 
what  prodigious  facility  this  author  "  evades  the 
words  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ;" — it  is  almost  as  ready  a 
method,  of"  nullifying"  the  Bible  as  by  "  turning  over 
the  leaf"  We  might  give  many  other  examples, 
but  must  content  ourselves  with  one  more,  on  page 
133.  He  is  there  explaining  away  Heb.  ii.  9.  which 
in  our  version  declares  that  hated  doctrine  of  "  the 
Arminian  view,"  that  "  Christ  tasted  death  for  every 
man."    And  here  we  have  the  sapient  and  learned 


97 

information,  that  the  word  man  is  not  in  the  original, 
but  who  "  inspired"  him  to  fill  up  the  ellipsis,  and 
say,  that  it  means  every  "  one  of  them?"  He  might, 
with  as  much  justice  and  propriety,  render  it,  "  Je- 
sus Christ  tasted  death  for  every" — angel  or — devil, 
for  every  one  of  them  in  my  church,  my  barn,  or  my 
house  ;  and  if  his  prayer  were  founded  on  his  creed, 
he  might  pray, 

Lord  bless  me  and  ray  wife, 
My  son  John  and  his  wife, 
Us  four, 
And  no  viore! 

Soberly,  we  allege,  that  this  flimsy  and  ridiculous 
criticism  is  beneath  contempt,  and  we  should  not 
have  named  it,  but  for  the  remarks  accompanying 
this  new  translation,  which,  with  the  note,  present 
us  with  his  creed,  this,  compared  with  the  Chris- 
tianity of  the  Scriptures,  is  a  more  "  monstrous  and 
mortal  sophism,"  than  any  of  those  alleged  against , 
Quakerism.  He  affirms,  in  the  text,  that  he  believes 
that  "  the  atonement,  made  by  Jesus  Christ  on  the 
cross,  is,  in  its  own  nature,  amply  sufficient  for  all 
mankind,  but  no  such  doctrine  is  taught  in  the  pas- 
sage before  us,"  But  in  the  note  he  explains,  in  the 
language  of  John  Calvin,  what  he  means,  which  is, 
that  "  Christ  suffered  sufficiently  for  all  men,  but  ef- 
ficiently for  the  elect  alone!"  And  then  avows,  in  his 
own  language,  still  more  distinctly,  his  individual 
creed.  "  We  do  not  believe,  that  the  atonement  was 
indefinite  in  the  sense  of  the  Remonstrants  of  Hol- 
land, or  aniy  other  Arminians.     God  had  a  design  ia 

9 


98 

making  it,  which  no  event  could  frustrate,  Chri&t 
eternally  designed  the  salvation  of  the  elect,  and  for 
these,  in  this  sense  exclusively,  he  gaveh  is  precious 
life  !" 

Indeed  !  no  wonder  that  the  phrase,  "  every  man," 
in  the  text  under  notice,  is  so  exceptionable.  "  For 
the  elect  alone,  in  this  sense  exclusively,  he  gave  his 
precious  life."  In  w'hat  sense  ? — The  sense  of  saha- 
tion,  obviously  ;  and,  of  course,  if  he  gave  his  pre- 
cious life,  in  any  sense,  for  the  rest  of  mankind,  it  w^as 
in  the  sense  of  "  damnation."  Well  did  Calvin  him- 
self, in  a  lucid  interval,  call  this  "  left  leg"  of  his 
creed,  a  "  horrible  decree."  And  here  I  am  re- 
minded of  an  exposition  I  once  heard  a  Calvinistic 
minister,  of  high  repute,  favor  a  congregation  with,  on 
this  same  text,  in  nearly  the  following  words  : — 

"  It  is  true,  that  the  text  says,  Jesus  Christ  tasted 
death  for  every  man!  [Perhaps  he  had  not  the 
"  school -taught  gift  of  tongues,"  in  equal  proficiency 
with  the  author !]  But  it  does  not  say,  he  died  for 
every  man,  but  only"  that  he  tasted  death  !  That  is, 
he  suffered  much,  very  much,  in  his  body  and  in  his 
soul,  before  he  came  to  the  cross,  and  particularly  in 
the  garden  did  he  taste  death,  and  this  he  did  for  every 
man,  for  the  whole  world  ;  but  when  he  came  to  the 
cross,  he  died  for  the  elect  alone!"  This  is  another 
Calvinistic  way  of  avoiding  and  perverting  the  vo- 
lume of  God,  and  is  just  as  sincere,  and  at  the  same 
time  as  ignorant  or  sophistical  an  interpretation,  as 
that  furnished  by  the  learned  author  himself. 


99 

As  the  author  has  set  us  a  memorable  example  in 
his  proposed  test  of  Quakerism,  already  alluded  to, 
he  cannot  object,  if  we  try  his  system,  "  by  an  in- 
spired criterion.''  Paul  declares  the  truth,  that "  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,"  and  "  the 
chief  of  them,  in  language  as  "  indefinite'''  as  that 
of  any  other  Arminian.  And  this  "  indefinite"  pro- 
position he  declares  to  be  "  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion ;"  or,  in  otiier  words,  worthy  of  the  acceptation 
of  all  men  !  But,  if  there  be  in  the  fulfilment  of  the 
discriminating  sovereignty  of  God,  any  exclusiveness 
in  the  designs  and  results  of  the  atonement,  such  as 
the  author  pleads  for,  then  the  truth  of  this  "  faithful 
saying"  is  not  worthy  of  the  acceptation  of  all ;  but 
is  only  worthy  of  the  acceptation  of  that  definite  num- 
ber, whom  God's  discriminating  sovereignty  included 
among  the  elect ;  and  for  whose  salvation,  Christ  "  ex- 
clusiveli/  gave  his  precious  life ."  This  is  a  truth  too 
obvious  to  require  any  argumentation,  or,  indeed,  to 
admit  of  other  proof,  than  its  own  intrinsic  demon- 
stration. Common  sense,  which  the  author  so  highly 
values,  writes  absurdity  on  the  declaration,  that  any 
truth  can  be  "  worthy"  of  my  *'  acceptation,"  if  I 
can  have  no  possible  interest  in  its  provisions  ;  and, 
indeed,  to  accept  it,  however  worthy  to  some  to 
whom  it  is  a  precious  saying,  would  be  only  to  prac- 
tise upon  myself,  in  the  present  case,  an  imposition 
and  deception,  eternally  ruinous  in  its  results. 

Here  we   see,  that   such  is  the  author's  "  special 
zeal  to  exterminate  Quakerism,"  that  he  has  most  in- 


100 

discreetly  attempted  his  object  by  aiming  at  the 
overthrow  of  those  features  of  the  system  especially, 
which  conform  to  "  the  Arminian  view  ;"  and  hence 
has  exhibited  that  his  "  secret  will"  is  to  elevate  the 
Dagon  of  Calvinism,  not  only  above  Quakerism,  but 
"  above  all  that  is  called  God,  and  is  worshipped." 
And  we  now  proceed  to  show  what  we  have  hereto- 
fore intimated,  that  the  reason  why  he  has  predes- 
tinated, that  Quakerism  is  not  Christianity,  is  mainly, 
because  of  the  anti-Calvinistic  tendencies  of  the  sys- 
tem. His  "  chief  proposition  is,  that  Quakerism  is 
not  Christianity  ;"  and  the  argument,  according  to  his 
Baconian  logic,  syllogistically  runs  thus  : 

Major.    Calvinism  is  Christianity  personified,  "  the 
identity  itself." 

Minor.    Quakerism  is   the    "  hostile  opposite"  of 
Calvinism. 

Ergo.     Quakerism  is  not  Christianity. 

And  that  this  is  the  secret  of  his  violence  and  extra- 
vagance may  be  clearly  seen  in  his  severities  against 
Barclay's  Apology, — a  book,  which  is  the  "  perfect 
horror"  of  the  author,  for  the  special  reason,  that  it  is 
throughout  an  ample,  and  unanswered,  because  un- 
answerable argument,  against  the  whole  Calvinistic 
heresy. 

But  that  we  may  fully  sustain  the  position  that  the 


101 

author  absolutely  regards  Calvinism,  in  its  distinctive 
features,  as  Christianity  personified,  "  the  identity 
itself,"  we  refer  to  his  own  language  for  unequivocal 
testimony.  And  first,  after  dedicating  his  work  to 
five  and  twenty  of  his  brethren  in  the  ministry,  every 
one  of  whom  is  known  to  be  decided  Calvinists,  he 
declares  that  he  considers  them  as  "  representing  the 
common  creed  of  Christendom,  or  rather  of  all  en- 
lightened Protestants  T  What  is  this  pompous  bom- 
bast, but  disfranchising  all  but  Calvinists  from  any 
right  to  be  included  in  "  Christendom,"  or  ranked 
among  "  enlightened  Protestants." 

And  again,  on  page  185,  "  I  turn,  honored  fathers, 
and  beloved  brethren  in  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
most  affectionately  to  you,  in  whom  the  whole  church 
glorifies  God  with  reason.  Most  tenderly  do  I  esteem 
and  love  you  all,  and  those  hundreds  of  kindred  spirit 
whom  you  properly  represent.  Sincerely  do  I  sup- 
pose, that  you  hold  heartily,  in  substance,  one  sys- 
tem. The  enemies,  of  God  are  of  the  same  opinion  ; 
they  group  you  together  in  their  antipathy,  their  ca- 
ricature, their  defamation,"  &c. 

And  pray,  what  is  that  one  system,  which  these  fa- 
thers and  brethren  hold  heartily,  and  which  the  author 
calls,  in  another  place,  "  a  oneness  of  theological  sen- 
timent." Is  it  not  Calvinism  unquestionably  ?  And 
does  not  our  author  allege  this  "  unity  and  general 
identity  of  sentiment,"  as  being  "  the  identity  itself" 
of  Christendom,  and  "  all  enlightened  Protestants,"  of 
9* 


102 

whom  they  arc  constituted,  '*  the  proper  representa- 
tives,^^ and  organized  into  a  "  moral  court^^  by  whom 
Quakerism,  and  every  other  ism,  that  does  not  hold 
heartily  this  one  system,  is  to  be  tried  ?  And  what  is 
this,  but  exemplifying  the  old  saying  of  the  "  enemies 
of  God,"  who  affirm  that,  with  Christians  distinctively, 
the  maxim  is  "  my  doxy  is  orthodoxy ;  your  doxy  is 
heterodoxy'^  Thus,  Quakerism  is  not  in  this  "  one- 
ness of  theological  sentiment ;"  and,  therefore,  it  is  a 
"  damnable  heresy."  And  that  this,  and  all  other 
heresy  may  "  die  instinctively,"  the  author  most  ob- 
sequiously asks  this  "  moral  court,"  in  a  style  of  itali- 
cised sycophancy,  which  can  please  only  a  bigot,  en- 
throned in  supreme  self-love,  "  Upon  what  equal 
number  of  men  in  the  United  States,  if  not  upon  your- 
selves, rest  such  signal  and  noble  obligations,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  results  desired  V 

And  in  the  conclusion  of  his  "  Introduction  Miscel- 
laneous," in  the  258th  page,  having  dwelt  largely  on 
"  the  system,"  which  he  holds  heartily  in  common 
with  these  fathers  and  brethren  ;  and  proclaiming  it  to 
be  founded  "  on  the  vantage  ground  of  evidence,"  he 
says,  "  Christianity  is  such  a  system,  and  just  as  evi- 
dent is  it,  that  there  is  no  other ;  consequently,  Qua- 
kerism is  not  that  system.''  If  these  words  mean  any 
thing,  they  obviously  mean  that  which  we  have  im- 
puted sentimentally  to  the  author. 

But,  once  more,  on  page  660,  we  have  a  distinct 
declaration  of  his  meaning,  by  which  he  will  be  con- 


103 

victed  of  the  very  "  uncharitableness,"  of  which  he 
accuses  Quakerism ;  for,  after  a  labored  defence  of 
predestination,  a  subject  which  he  calls  "  glorious  and 
fundamental,''  and  declares,  is  "  sinned  against, — not 
sinning ;"  and  having  given  the  ultra  Calvinistic  view 
of  it,  in  all  its  length  and  breadth,  and,  though  "  medi- 
cinal and  painful,"  calling  it  a  "  most  salutary  doc- 
trine,'' he  enjoins  submission  to  it,  upon  all ;  and  adds, 
"  without  such  imqualijied  submission,"  [to  this  doc- 
trine of  Calvinian  predestination]  "we  ^le,  however 
disguised,  only  the  enemies  of  God  !"  Thus  does  he 
"  eternally  unchurch"  every  other  denomination  of 
Christians,  collectively  and  individually,  who  sub- 
scribe/io^  to  this  distinctive  characteristic  of  Calvin- 
ism ; — and  deal  with  us  all,  who  deny  this  "  funda- 
mental" article  of  his  creed,  as  he  does  with  Qua- 
kers, on  page  156,  "  I  have  yet  to  learn,  what  is  the 
definition  of  that  infidelity  to  which  Jesus  Christ 
hath  pledged  himself  to  award  damnation,  if  they 
(Friends)  are  not  legitimately,  and  most  awfully  in 
danger  of  it."  And  when  glorying  in  this  "  one  sys- 
tem," instead  of  the  "  cross  of  Christ,"  he  says,  "  I 
bless  God,  not  only  that  I  am  converted,  as  I  trust, 
from  Quakerism  to  Christianity  ;  but  that  I  belong  to 
tliis  very  denomination  of  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ," 
"  the  Presbyterian  church."  Thus  evincing  most 
clearly  that  he  regards  his  relation  to  that  "  church," 
as  paramount  to  the  claims  he  has  to  "Christianity." 
And  again,  he  affirms,  "  My  whole  soul  adores  the 
God  of  all  grace,  about  equally  for  my  own  conver- 
sion, from  old  Adam  and  George  Fox,"  thus  demon- 


104 

stratingthat  his  Presbyteiianism  and  his  Christianity 
are  equally  tfie  subjects  of  his  glorying ;  which  can 
only  be  explained,  or  justified,  by  his  having  fully 
embraced  the  sentiment,  that  this  "  one  system"  is 
"the  identity  itself!" 

Accordingly,  we  find  throughout  this  work,  that 
every  one  of  the  distinctive  peculiarities  of  Calvin- 
ism are  prominently  taught  and  enforced,  as  being 
"  THE  TRUTH,"  in  contradistinction  to  Quakerism 
ostensibly  ;  but,  really  and  necessarily,  as  contra- 
distinguished from  "  all  other  Arminians  ;" — an  ex- 
pression, which  is  more  than  once  repeated,  as  where 
it  is  called  "  the  Arminian  heresy,"  and  where  a  ca- 
talogue of  the  "  enemies  of  God,"  and  the  "opposers 
of  the  truth,"  is  given  ;  in  which  Arminius  is  classed 
with  Sabellus,  Socinius,  Arius.  and  Pelagius,  as  w^ell 
as  George  Fox.  And  although  he  might  have  found 
fault  enough  with  Quakerism,  without  indiscrimi- 
nately denouncing  any  other  religionists, — had  this 
been  his  only  purpose  ;  yet  he  manifests,  on  almost 
every  page,  that  while  he  feels  a  "  special  zeal  to  ex- 
terminate the  Quaker  heresy,^'  he  designs  to  include 
in  his  censures  "  all  other  Arminians ;"  and  to  insist 
upon  the  "  oneness  of  theological  sentiment,"  with  his 
"  fathers  and  brethren,"  as  being  not  merely  identical 
with  Christianity,  but  "  the  identity  itself." 

And  may  we  now  ask  the  author,  what  is  all  this 
but  the  very  sectaHanism  which  he  so  loudly  depre-^ 
cates  on  the  192d  page  of  his  work?     Has  he  for- 


105 

gotten  that  this  sectarianism,  which  speaks  of  "  our 
church,  our  denomination,  our  people,  our  measur.es, 
our  doctrines,  our  views,"  6z:c.,  and  which  "  mistakes 
the  denomination  to  which  one  happens  to  belong,  for 
the  kingdom  of  heaven/'  is  declared  by  himself  to  be 
"  the  elemental  mischief  of  the  papacy,  the  very  mys- 
ie7y  of  iniquity?"  It  is  true,  that  in  this  place  he  is 
reading  a  homily  to  his  "  fathers  and  brethren,"  on 
"  the  usefulness  of  Christian  union,"  and  teaching 
them,  that  while  they  difter  so  widely  in  their  meta- 
physical philosophy,  in  explication  of  the  great  things 
of  their  common  faith,  that  they  ought  to  "  agree 
to  differ."  And  after  an  apology  for  the  existing 
differences  among  the  Calvinistic  churches,  both  ec- 
clesiastical and  theological,  in  which  he  says,  "  there 
is  debateable  ground  enough  to  keep  acumen  awake, 
but  not  enough  to  rouse  or  authorise  any  alienation," 
he  proposes  terms  of  capitulation,  and  urges,  that 
the  little  difference  should  not  be  magnified  recipro- 
cally into  the  mighty  all  of  the  controvertist."  And 
now  he  adverts  to  "  some  evils,  that  especially  claim 
correction"  among  the  Presbyterian  churches,  and 
the  first  of  these  is  sectarianism. 

For  the  author's  special  benefit,  as  well  as  to  exhi- 
bit to  the  reader  another  of  the  inconsistencies  of  this 
erratic  volume,  we  transcribe  a  few  sentences,  from 
this  "  olive  branch,"  which  he  holds  out  to  his  "  fa- 
thers and  brethren,"  in  a  brief,  happy,  and  lucid  in- 
terval ;  in  which  he  loses  sight  of  Quakerism. 

"  The  sin  of  sectarianism  appears  to  me  to  be  rot- 


106 

tcmiess  at  the  heart  of  the  body,  and  poison  in  the 
veiy  soul  of  the  church.  It  is  a  deadly  injury  to  any 
denomination  of  our  vaunted  fonchiess.  It  consists  in 
exalting  local  against  universal  interests ;  private 
against  catholic  views  ;  party  against  piety  ;  policy 
against  principle  ;  and  our  men,  our  measures,  our 
doctrines,  our  viev^^s,  our  prosperity,  against  the  glo- 
rious commonwealth  of  the  King  of  Israel.  And  what 
is  this,  but  exalting  earth  against  heaven  ?  It  hardens 
the  heart  of  a  tninister  of  Christ,  "tnd  converts  him, 
while  it  justly  lessens  his  influence,  into  a  cruel  in- 
quisitor. Piety  hence  is  nothing — hut  as  party  feels 
its  influence.  It  soon  loses  the  liberality  that  rejoices 
to  pronounce  "  grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,"  &:c.     Again, 

"  If  there  is  any  sin  denounced  in  the  oracles  of 
God  as  the  very  quintessence  of  deceitfulness,  the  very 
sublimity  of  treason,  the  very  hypocrisy  of  usurpa- 
tion, in  short  the  very  personification  described  as  the 
man  of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition  ;  we  have  here  the 
identity  of  the  evil  in  the  temper  of  sectarianism*  If 
this  temper  were  well  analyzed,  it  would  be  found 
to  consist  of  very  unlovely  and  anti-Christian  ingre- 
dients. The  elements  of  its  composition  would  be 
found  probably  to  be  deceit,  hypocrisy,  ambition,  self- 
ishness apprehension,  sucpicion,  envy,  jealousy,  sordid 
feelings,  false  zeal,  and  the  wrath  of  man,  which  work- 
eth  not  the  righteousness  of  God.  Its  holy  pre- 
tensions constitute  one  of  its  worst  characteristics  :  but 
another  of  its  worst  is, — the  stealth  and  the  address 


107 

with  which  its  influence  often  invades  the  truly  good  /" 
"  jNo  man  is  more  deceived  by  it,  than  he  whose  self- 
complacency  beguiling  him  from  a  needful  vigilance 
against  its  approaches,  presents  him  to  himself  as  an 
exception  to  the  rule  !  Hence  he  neglects  himself  in 
that  very  matter,  jn  which  the  care  of  others  can  do 
least  for  his  preservation  ;  and  cares  for  others  in  those 
very  relations,  in  which  he  ought  to  honor  the  Supreme 
Inspector,  and  feel  as  much  the  solemnity  of  his  own 
accountable  action." 

Truly  this  is  a  grateful  "  oasis  in  the  desert  of 
controversy,"  and  is  like  a  golden  mountain  in  a 
"  continent  of  mud  !"  Such  a  specimen  of  catholic 
orthodoxy  as  this,  is  a  spectacle  sublimely  heightened 
by  the  contrast  it  furnishes,  with  the  entire  volume 
before  us.  Had  not  the  author  overlooked  or  forgot- 
ten the  sober  truths  he  had  here  penned,  he  would 
have  burned  the  sheets  of  his  book,  and  scattered 
the  ashes  to  the  winds.  Well  may  Quakerism  ex- 
claim, "  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee  ;" 
and  there  is  a  tribunal  infinitely  higher,  to  which  we 
are  all  hastening  where  it  will  infallibly  be  said  "  By 
thy  words  shalt  thou  be  condemned."  We  think  that 
it  must  be  apparent,  from  what  we  have  had  occasion 
to  show  in  the  preceding  pages  that  this  very  "  tem- 
per of  sectarianism"  constitutes  the  precise  "  inspira- 
tion" under  which  the  author  wrote  his  book.  For  it 
will  be  recollected,  that  the  denunciations  against  it, 
are  not  aimed  at  Quakerism,  but  at  the  evil  as  it 
exists  in  his  own  denomination  :  and  we  think  he  him- 


108 

self  has  furnished  us  with  a  most  melancholy  example 
of  the  pernicious  tendencies  of  this  unhappy  temper 
"  in  hardening  the  heart  of  the  minister  of  Christ,"  in 
the  pages  of  this  voluminous  work. 

In  farther  illustration,  however,  we  invite  the 
reader's  attention  to  the  following  paragraph,  found  in 
the  same  connection,  as  a  part  of  his  expostulation 
with  his  "  fathers  and  brethren"  on  the  evils  of  secta- 
rianism. 

"  There  are  personages  of  other  denominations 
than  those  to  which  any  of  us  belong,  and  on  both 
sides  of  the  Atlantic  occasionally  found,  whose 
high-church  childishness  is  as  proverbial,  as  their 
low-Christian  manliness  is  notorious.  For  them, — 
the  high-church  party  I  mean,  it  is  less  incongruous, 
possibly  less  criminal,  to  identify  themselves  with 
"  the  church,'^  to  view  their  own  sect  as  "  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,"  and  sublimely  to  abandon  their  more 
evangelical  and  better  taught  brethren  to  the  ima- 
ginary resource  of  "  the  uncovenanted  mercies  of 
God!"  And  after  justly  censuring  this  temper,  and 
enforcing  the  benevolent  spirit  inculcated  in  the  gos- 
pel, and  the  exhortation  of  the  apostle,  "  Let  nothing 
be  done  through  strife  or  vain  glory,  but  in  loveliness 
of  mind,  let  each  esteem  other  better  than  themselves" 
he  describes  in  the  following  sentence  the  blessed  re- 
sults which  would  follow  this  unsectarian  spirit,  "  No 
one  would  then  become  the  stern  spontaneous  censor 
of  his  brethren ; — no  one  would  find  his  spiritual  ward- 


109 

Tobe  empty  of  those  desirable  garments,  or  heavenly- 
mantles,  with  one  of  which  a  brother^s  nakedness  could 
be  concealed,  and  a  covering  furnished  without  con- 
nivance, even  for  a  "  multitude  of  sins, ^^  (fee. 

Thus  does  our  author  write  when  speaking  of  his 
own  denomination  and  those  of  kindred  faith,  and 
complains  justly,  "  How  easy  is  the  brand  oi  heretic, 
or  the  impeachment  of  unsound,  or  the  suspicion  of 
innovating,  or  the  whimper  of  erroneous,  admitted  or 
applied?  And  to  whom  ?  Men,  whose  piety  perhaps, 
has  been  long  and  well  demonstrated,  &c.  «fcc."  And 
again  he  remonstrates  against  a  too  strict,  and  even 
illiberal  construction  o^  doctrinal  orthodoxy,  and  asks 
"ought  we  to  insist  rJike  on  all  in  the  creed  of  visible 
communion,  and  make  every  thing  a  term  of  recogni- 
tion which  has  become  to  us  identified  in  whole  or 
in  part,  with  the  truth  of  revelation  ?  as  if  whatever 
may  be  necessary  to  the  perfection  of  the  church, 
were  equally  necessary  to  the  visibility  of  the  churchJ 
as  if  every  thing  that  a  Christian  ought  to  be,  is  that 
without  which  a  Christian  is  not !  as  if  what  belongs 
to  growth  and  accomplishment,  w^ere  indispensable  in 
the  same  degree  to  existence  itself!  These  monstrous 
suppositions  co^ild  not  he  sustained  in  argument,  and 
are  perhaps  very  rarely  affirmed  in  practice.  But 
are  they  as  rarely  implied  ?  Are  they  never  couch- 
ed covertly  in  our  seidiments  ;  insmsibly  in  uur  con- 
duct ;  devastatingly  in  our  influence  /" 

These  manly  and  honorable  sentiments,  so  appro- 
10 


no 

priately  applied  to  existing  evils,  in  the  churches  ad- 
dressed by  our  author,  in  this  pacific  expostulation  ; 
commend  themselves  as  being  the  fruit  of  heavenly 
charily,  and  will  find  a  response  in  every  Christian 
heart.  And  yet  the  ungrateful  task  now^  imposed 
upon  us  is  to  show,  that  between  these  principles  so 
ably  and  successfully  vindicated  by  our  author,  and 
the  whole  volume  in  which  they  are  found,  there  is  a 
glaring  contrariety,  a  melancholy  inconsistency,  al- 
most without  a  parallel.  Indeed,  it  is  not  possible  to 
conceive,  how  the  author's  mind  could  be  so  infatu- 
ated, as  to  place  these  "  apples  of  gold  and  pictures  of 
silvei',"  in  so  uncongenial  proximity  to  the  sectarian 
anathemas  of  his  voluminous  work.  And  it  is  not  less 
surprising  how  they  could  co-exist  in  the  same  mind, 
unless  on  the  Quaker  principle,  we  admit "  the  inshin- 
ing  of  Divine  light"  having  succeeded  for  a  brief  inter- 
val in  dissipating  the  malign  miasma,  or  dark  moral 
atmosphere,  under  which  the  rest  of  the  book  was 
written.  By  way  of  contrasting  the  temper  of  the 
author  towards  the  system  of  Quakerism,  as  well  as 
the  persons  of  Friends,  with  the  noble  and  liberal 
sentiments  he  has  presented  for  the  pacification  of  the 
conflicting  tribes  of  his  own  Israel,  and  at  the  same 
time  pourtraying  the  true  character  of  the  volume 
before  us,  we  transcribe  a  few  sentences  and  choice 
epithets,  promiscuously  chosen,  and  would  say  to  the 
reader  "  look  on  this  picture  and  then  on  that."  Sed 
tempora  mutantur,  and  nos  mutamur  cum  illis.  Be- 
fore, it  was  your  bull  of  sectarianism,  that  was  goring 
xny  peaceable  oxen  ;  now  it  is  my  bull  of  sectarianism 


Ill 

let  loose  upon  yours  !  The  following  extracts  exhibit 
only  a  few  of  the  hard  names,  and  wrathful  sen- 
tences of  our  author. 

"  The  Quakers,  in  their  belief,  have  been  Cardinal 
Heretics  from  the  beginnhig,  the  whole  of  them ;  and 
the  present  orthodox  intend  to  remain  what  their 
fathers  were  !" 

"  They  have  distinctive  marks,  only  as  heretics  and 
mystics  and  sectarians  ; — none  of  a  Christian  church  !" 

"  Quakerism  cannot  fall  too  soon  for  tlie  interests 
of  Christianity  and  of  man.  It  is  nigh  unto  cursing 
whose  end  is  to  be  burned." 

"  Ordinarily,  I  have  little  confidence  in  the  piety  of  a 
Friend,  whatever  other  qualities  of  general  worth  I 
may  and  freely  do  accord  to  him."  "  Their  system 
is  mystical  and  as  such  is  heathenish  and  false  /" 

"  O  degrading  counterfeit !  O  ignorant  and  vapor- 
ing cheat !  O  dark  and  dreary  meteor  of  light !  Thy 
inspiration  is  the  veriest  folly  in  the  world  !  It  is  the 
dishonor  of  God  and  the  confusion  of  men.  It  is 
piety  to  detest  thy  character,  resist  thy  usurpation,  and 
open  the  prison  doors,  to  them  that  are  bound  in  the 
miserable  caverns  of  thy  influence  1" 

"  A  Quaker  preacher  is  an  inspired  blunderer ! 
what  a  monster  '  shall  we  spare  him  ?" 


112 

•*  I  venture  llie  assertion,  that  a  Friend  who 
believes  in  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body, 
is  a  rarer  phenomenon  than  an  ecUpse  of  the  moon. 
Rightly  to  beheve  it,  is  well  nigh  impossible  to  ariy 
man  who  does  not  beheve  in  the  paramount  authority 
of  Scriptures,  and  to  no  man  more  incorrigibly  than  to 
a  Friend  /"  "  That  man  ought  to  doubt  his  piety  who 
can  look  at  the  heresy  of  Friends  on  this  article  and 
feel  indifierent."  "  I  would  as  soon  turn  atheist  out- 
right, or  what  is  the  same  thing  Sadducee,  entire, 
as  fellowship  any  man  who  dares  to  violate  the  only 
hope  of  men,  by  denying  the  scriptural  account  of  the 
resurrection  of  both  soul  and  body.  [O^Friends  do 
none  of  them  believe  the  doctrine." 

'•  A  Friend  is  always  established  and  unalterable, 
and  this  without  examination,  without  knowledge,  anfit 
(I  fear)  without  prayer  !"  "  His  soul  is  the  victim 
and  heaven  the  forfeiture  I  and  justly,  for  no  man, 
young  or  old,  has  a  right  to  believe  without  evidence, 
&c." 

"  I  have  no  words  in  which  to  express  the  horror  of 
my  soul  at  the  perversions  of  Quakerism  !  It  is  peni- 
tence without  pardon,  religion  without  peace,  holiness 
without  salvation  !" 

"  They  will  all  be  lost  who  have  nothing  but  pure 
Quakerism  to  defend  them  from  the  fire.  These  are 
my  convictions,  and  I  know  they  are  just  as  true  as 
the  New  Testament !" 


113 

"  I  really  believe  thatthe  plain  attire  and  speech  of 
Friends,  which  give  them  such  a  saintship  of  appear- 
ance, are  the  veil  that  covers  many  an  abandoned  infi- 
del !  I  know  it  from  actual  converse  with  individu- 
als, with  multitudes,  preachers  of  both  sexes,  &c." 

"  I  am  reduced  to  the  fair  necessity  of  contradict- 
ing the  New  Testament,  or  discrediting  the  piety  of 
the  Quakers,  or  defiling  my  conscience,  &c." 

"  Their  tuneful  female  preachers  are  frequently 
charmers,  they  sing  their  inspired  fascination,  comfort 
the  unregenerate,  and  instruct  nobody  !" 

"  They  hold  that  sincerity  is  all,  as  if  there  were  no 
way  of  going  to  perdition  with  a  lie  in  the  right  hand  !" 
"  They  live  in  numerous  instances,  more  ignorant  of 
the  contents  of  the  Bible  than  many  a  six  year  old- 
pupil  of  a  well  taught  infant  school, — they  dress  plain, 
use  the  plain  language,  and  very  seldom  (whatever 
they  s?nother)  utter  a  word  of  evil  audibly,  &c.  &c. 
Are  friends  all  regenerated  of  course,  because  full 
members,  that  have  retained  their  birthright  to — delu- 
sion r 


"  No  convent  was  ever  ruled  more  completely  by 
sanctimonious  abbot  or  fastidious  prioress,  than  the 
whole  society,  by  one  or  more  male  or  female  func- 
tionaries, in  great  sincerity  /"  "  the  feminine  venders 
are  clothed  cap-a-pie,  in  spiritual  sincerity,  bronzed  ini 
the  holy  impudence,  and  willing  sacrifices  in  the  cause? 
of  the  light  r  10* 


114 

'*  I  would  denounce  Quakerism,  in  the  name  of  Je- 
sus Christ,  if  I  stood  alone,  and  if  all  men  forsook  me, 
in  the  principled  detestation  of  its  abominable  doc- 
trines /" 

"  God  will  be  no  party  to  a  cause  that  loveth  and 
maketh  a  lie,  as  Quakerism  is." 

**  They  plead  conscience  !  What  right  have  they  I 
ask,  to  keep  such  a  conscience  ?  And  what  respect 
deserves  it  from  man  ?  I  answer,  just  as  much  as 
it  gets  from  God  !" 

"  A  more  ruinous  heresy  to  the  souls  of  men  could 
scarcely  be  invented  by  the  great  sire  of  heresy  than 
Quakerism." 

"What  delusion  equal  to  the  spell  of  Quakerism  I 
So  dies  the  Bible  with  the  kisses  of  Friends  !" 

**  I  confess  ,that  it  nauseates  my  soul  to  hear  or  read 
of  a  Friend,  praising  the  Scriptures.  To  betray 
Christ  was  hardly  as  great  a  sin  as  the  kiss  the  trai- 
tor gave  him." 

But  we  cannot  transcribe  a  hundredth  part  of  such 
specimens  of  censorious  denunciation,  nor  is  it  neces- 
sary ;  for  these,  with  the  extracts  which  haveSbeen  no- 
ticed in  treating  of  the  former  part  of  this  work,  will 
enable  the  reader  to  judge  of  the  character  of  "  that 
temper  of  sectarianism,"  of  which  we  accuse  the 


ny 


115 

author,  and  of  which  he  has  spoken  so  admirably- 
We  have  endeavored,  in  making  these  selections,  to 
do  it  fairly,  in  no  case  omitting  any  part  necessary  to 
the  sense,  though  we  have  italicized  and  capitalized 
words  which  are  specially  prominent.  And  now  we 
will  present  a  few  epithets,  indiscriminately  hurled 
at  Quakerism  by  our  author.  They  are  such  as 
these : — 


"  Damnable  heresy  /" 

''  Holy -looking  device  /" 

"  Infidelity  in  drab  /" 

"  Master-policy  of  hell  /" 

"  Spiritual  hallucination  ! 

"  Heavenly-looking  forgery  /" 

"  Felony  /" 

"  Robbery  /" 

"  Murderous  scheme  /" 

"  Treasonable  conspiracy  /" 

''  Wretched^  specious-looking  counterfeit  f^ 

"  Sweete?ied  poison  /" 

"  Judas-like  sorcery  /" 

"  Incantatioji  /" 

"  Mysticism  /" 

"  Monstrous  and  mortal  sophism  /" 

"  Hateful  treachery  /" 

*^  Spiritual  ventriloquism  /" 

"  Moonstruck  nonentity  /" 


116 

"  Imposture  /" 

"  Sleepy  and  silly  forgery  /" 

"  hifinitely  pestiferous  /" 

"  Satanic  delusion  /" 

*'  Prophets  of  the  devil  !" 

"  Abominable  deception  /" 

"  Pre-eminently  stupid  falsehood  /" 

"  Devotional  sin  /" 

"  Theological  nonsense  /" 

"  Wolves  in  sheeps^  clothing  /" 

"  A  device  of  the  devil  /" 

"  A  community  of  infidels  /" 

"  Essential  falsehood  /" 

"  Pestilent  limb  of  anti-Christ ^'''^  &;c.  Az;c. 

But  these  hard  names  are  too  numerous  to  record, 
though  thousands  of  similar  severities,  in  the  phraseo- 
logy of  this  volume,  might  be  presented. 

From  these  specimens,  the  reader  may  form  some 
conception  of  the  spirit  and  temper  with  which  this 
book  is  written;  and  in  some  sense,  appreciate  the  kind 
of  task  imposed  upon  us,  in  reviewing  it.  We  are 
sure,  that  no  man's  soul  could  be  benefitted  by  read- 
ing it,  and  our  task  has  been  painful  and  odious,  in- 
deed ;  and  if  we  have  occasionally  betrayed  any  ex- 
ceptionable causticity,  it  may  be  attributed  to  the 
contact  into  which  we  have  been  placed  with  a  book 
filled  with  such  uncharitableness,  as  to  furnish  provo- 


117 

cation  on  almost  every  page,  and,  perhaps,  sometimes 
to  infect  us  with  its  pestilential  miasma.  Such  may- 
be tiie  case,  and  if  it  be  discerned  by  any,  let  this  be 
our  apology. 

But  we  now  pass  on  to  show,  tha^the  author's  bit- 
terness against  Quakerism  is  not  less  apparent,  nor 
less  exceptionable  and  unbecoming,  than  the  temper 
in  which  he  inculcates  his  own  creed  ;  that  "  one  sys- 
tem," to  which  allusion  has  been  made.  We  have 
already  shown  the  manner  in  which  he  ranks  among 
the  "  enemies  of  God,''  all  those,  "  however  dis- 
guised," who  do  not  "  heartily  submit"  to  his  doc- 
trine of  predestination,  and  we  have  also  noticed  the 
attempted  exposition  and  defence  he  makes  of  it. 
On  page  661,  however,  he  denies  that  "  God  makes 
men,  on  purpose  to  damn  them,"  calling  it  "  an  aver- 
ment of  guilt  and  blasphemy,"  when  absolutely 
uttered,  and  says,  "  Election,  as  a  branch  of  predes- 
tination, damns  nobody  ;  it  only  insures  the  piety  and 
salvation  of  an  innumerable  multitude  !"  "  God  saves 
as  many  as  he  can,  and  would,  doubtless,  save  all,  if 
he  did  not  see,  that  it  was  preferable  for  his  infinite 
benevolence,  to  punish  some,  and  as  few  as  possible,  for 
the  good  of  the  universe  of  being,  forevermore  !  God 

IS   LOVE  !" 

Now,  he  will  pardon  us  for  saying,  that  if  this  be 
not "  an  averment  of  guilt  and  blasphemy,"  we  doubt 
whether  such  an  epithet  can  be  justly  applied  to  the 
assertion,  that  "  He  makes  some  men  on  purpose  to 


118 

damn  them,''  for  the  sentiments  arc  strictly  synony- 
mous. Indeed,  lie  admits  it ;  for,  on  the  same  page, 
he  says,  "  many  are  lost,  or  left  to  their  own  way, 
which  is  at  last  the  same  tiiiag  !"  But,  waiving  this, 
"who  ever  pretended  that  "  election,  as  a  branch  of 
predestination,",  damns  any  body  ?  But,  if  this  is  a 
branch  o{  his  doctrine,  where  is  i\\c  olhcx '■' branch'' 
so  carefully  concealed,  and  which  saves  nobody?  Is 
he  afraid  of  the  "  horribile  dccretum"  of  Calvin?  Or 
has  he  a  "  private  creed  in  religion,"  which  he  so 
loudly  condemns?  He  cannot  deny,  that,  while  elec- 
tion is  a  branch  of  his  "  glorious  and  fundamental 
doctrine  of  predestination,"  reprobation  is  another 
branch;  and  he  must  admit,  that,  while  the  former 
damns  nobody,  the  latter  damns  every  body,  un  whom 
it  falls,  and  saves  nobody !  And  if,  as  he  says,  election 
only  insures  the  piety  and  salvation  of  an  innumera- 
ble multitude  ;  does  not  the  other  branch  insure  the 
impiety  and  dainnation  of  an  innumerable  multitude? 
And  if  God  be  the  author  of  both  branches  of  predes- 
tination, and  what  Calvinist  can  doubt  it,  does  not  this 
creed  make  Him  the  author  both  of  piety  in  the  elect, 
and  impiety  in  the  reprobate  ?  And  can  he  avoid  the 
consequence,  even  with  the  aid  of  Baconian  logic, 
that  if  God  made  the  elect  on  purpose  to  save  them, 
he  made  the  reprobate  on  purpose  to  damn  them.  And 
is  this  "  guilt  and  blasphemy,  when  absolutely  ut- 
tered" in  any  other  light,  than  as  it  attaches  to  the 
whole  creed.  And  as  the  author  admits,  that  "  what 
Calvin  believed  and  taught  may  be  viewed  as  the 
criterion  of  what  Calvinism  is,"  we  refer  him  to  his 


119 

**  Institutes,"  for  unequivocal  proof  that  he  believed 
and  taught  that  "  God  makes  some  men  on  purpose 
to  damn  them,"  and  this  "  averment  of  guilt  and  blas- 
phemy" is  made  by  John  Calvin,  in  the  following 
sentences  : — 

"  All  men  are  not  created  for  the  same  end ;  but 
some  are  forc-ordained  to  eternal  life,  others  to  eter- 
nal damnation  ;  therefore,  according  as  every  man 
was  created  for  the  one  end  or  the  other,  we  say,  he 
was  predestinated  to  life  or  to  deaths — Cal.  In.  b.  iii. 
ch.  xxi.  sect.  5. 

Again,  "  God,  of  His  will  and  pleasure,  so  ordains, 
that,  amongst  men,  some  should  be  so  horn,  as  to  be 
devoted  from  the  womb  to  certain  death,  who,  by  their 
destruction,  might  glorify  His  name." — B.  iii.  ch.  xxiii. 
sect.  6. 

"  Many,  thinking  to  excuse  God,  so  own  election, 
as  to  deny  reprobation.  But  this  is  too  silly  and 
childish ;  for  election  itself,  unless  opposed  to  repro- 
bation, cannot  stand." — B.  iii.  ch.  xxii.  sect.  1.  The 
evasion  of  the  author  then,  in  his  affirmation,  that 
*'  election  damns  nobody  !"  is,  in  the  judgment  of 
Calvin,  but  a  "  silly  and  childish  attempt  to  excuse 
God !" 

We  confess  we  are  ashamed  of  the  sophistry  with 
which  the  author  here  attempts  to  evade  and  repel  the 
legitimate  and  unavoidable  results  to  which  his  creed 


120 

impels  him,  and  wc  pity  the  delusion  of  any  man, 
who  does  not  perceive  its  absurdity. 

To  shew  still  further  to  what  straits  this  attempted 
exposition  and  defence  of  predestination  has  driven 
him,  we  quote  from  another  note  the  following  pre- 
cious morceau,  after  alHrming  that  "  Christ  suffered 
sufficiently  for  all  men,  but  efficiently  for  the  elect 
alone,"  he  explains  it  in  modern  technology  by  inform- 
ing us,  that  "  for  all  atonement  is  made,  to  all  it  is 
offered,  and  the  Spirit  striving  through  the  truth  as 
extensively  as  the  SUFFICIENCY  and  applicability  of 
the  atonement  are  extensive"  He  must  be  indeed  a 
"  silly  dotard"'  who  does  not  perceive  the  specious 
sopijism  contained  in  the  conjoined  words  sufficiency 
and  applicability  ;  by  which  the  extensivcncss  of  the 
strivings  of  the  Spirit,  are  limited  to  those  for  whom  he 
suffered  e//tc2e?i%  ; — and  of  course,  excluding  from 
these  strivings,  which  are  essential  to  salvation,  the 
millions  for  whom  he  suffered  suffcientJy,  but  not 
efficiently^  and  therefore,  there  can  be  no  applicability 
in  their  case.  Accordingly,  we  find  him  affirming, 
that  "  God  had  a  design  in  making  the  atonement  which 
NO  EVENT  should  frustrate.  Christ  eternally  design- 
ed the  salvation  of  the  i-lect,  and  for  them,  in  this 
sense  exclusively,  he  gave  his  precious  life  /"  And 
to  sweeten  this  poisoned  chalice,  he  next  says,  with 
a  gravity  which  is  enough  to  fill  heaven  and  hell  with 
amazement ;  "  But  this  makes  7iot  the  atonement  less 
full,  or  alters  its  nature  at  all.  Wlien  the  elect  are 
all  brought  to  piety  and  heaven,  the  others,  whoever 


121 

they  are,  have  just  as  good  an  opportunity  every  way 
to  realize  the  same  blessedness,  as  all  the  world  have 
on  the  theory  that  denies  election."  Is  this  Calvinism, 
Hopldnsianism,  Neology,  Cox-ism,  or  what  is  it  called 
in  modern  technology  ?  We  ask,  is  this  the  Christian- 
ity, to  which  the  author  would  have  Quakerism  trans- 
muted, or  which  he  has  embraced  in  lieu  of  that 
system  ?  If  we  believed  this  to  be  the  doctrine  of  the 
Scriptures,  we  should  be  in  danger  of  being  led  to  ab- 
jure Christianity,  burn  the  Bible,  and  turn  atheist 
outright ;  as  thousands  have  done,  from  the  same 
cause  : — for  such  a  system  has  so  many  features  of 
the  "  master  policy  of  hell,"  that  we  might  be  sure 
that  the  whole  was  a  fable,  and  an  imposture  ;  so  sure 
of  it,  that  we  might  vv'iscly  hazard  eternity  on  the  issue. 
But  we  need  not  say  hazard,  for  there  could  be  no 
hazard  in  the  case  ;  fatalism,  cold,  dreary,  and  unmo- 
dified fatalism,  would  be  the  truth  infallibly.  How 
strange,  that  with  such  a  creed  the  author  should  com- 
plain of  the  Quakers,  and  promise  to  forgive  them  for 
'^jeoparding  his  souV^  How  could  his  soul  be  "^"eo- 
parded^^  when  '•  God  saves  as  many  as  he  CAN  !"  and 
when  "  no  event  could  frustrate  the  design  of  the 
atonement ;"  and  when  "  election,  as  a  branch  of 
predestindtion,  insured  his  piety  and  salvation"  too  ? 
Well  may  we  adopt  the  author's  elegant  language,  and 
cry  out,  monstrum  horrendum  !  &c. ;  for  this  "  mon- 
strous and  m.ortal  sophism"  is  not  equalled  by  the 
''  profoundly  stupid  tongues  of  the  British  metro- 
polis." 

11 


122 

Still ,  however,  there  is  one  more  doctrine  or  branch 
of  predestination  we  suppose,  contained  in  the  follow- 
ing sentence  of  the  author  on  page  669,  on  which  we 
would  briefly  remark. 

"  IF  the  Scriptures  had  affirmed  the  salvation  of 
all  INFANTS,  or  any  class  of  them,  under  a  certain  age, 
the  consequences  had  been  terrible  /"  Soberly,  this 
sentence  would  seem  the  very  climax  of  impiety  !  The 
only  "  terrible  consequences"  which  follow,  are,  the 
explosion  of  the  author  and  his  creed.  IF  !  indeed  ? 
then  we  are  to  infer  that  the  Scriptures  do  not  af- 
firm the  salvation  of  all  infants,  or  any  class  of 
them  ?  If  not,  who  dare  affirm  it  ?  Then  it  follows 
from  this  statement  that  the  salvation  of  those  who 
die  in  infancy,  is  to  say  the  least,  doubtful!  and  here 
we  have  a  revival  of  the  old  heresy,  and  a  damnable 
and  damning  one  it  is,  that  there  are  "  children  in  hell 
not  a  span  long,"  and  the  author  adds,  that  our  diffi- 
culties on  this  subject  are  only  the  "  secret  things  that 
belong  to  God  !"  How  any  man  can  have  the  Bible 
and  read  it, and  especially  a  theologian,  and  at  the  same 
time  doubt,  that  the  scriptures  affirm  the  salvation  of 
all  infants,  much  less  make  the  averment  that  they  do 
not,  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact,  that  he  has 
the  "  pestilential  charm"  of  Calvinism  about  him  ;  and 
with  one  thus  involved  in  such  a  heresy,  argument, 
reason,  and  scripture  itself,  would  be  alike  nugato- 
ry. We  cannot  condescend  to  reason  against  such 
profanity  as  we  regard  this  sentiment  to  be,  in  the 
light  of  genuine  Christianity. 


123 

We  here  insert  the  following  extract,  from  Calvin's 
Institutes,  which  will  show  that  the  author  has  high 
authority  for  this  shocking  feature  of  his  creed ;  of 
which  he  says,  that "  our  difficulties  on  the  subject  are 
only  the  secret  things  that  belong  to  God." 

"  How  came  it  to  pass,  that  the  fall  of  Adam,  in- 
dependent of  any  remedy,  should  involve  so  many 
nations,  with  their  infant  children,  in  eternal 
death?  ^Mi  such  was  the  will  of  God  !!  It  was  a  hor- 
rible decree,  I  confess  ;  but  no  one  can  deny  that  God 
foreknew  the  future  final  state  of  man,  before  he  creat- 
ed him  ;  and  that  he  did  foreknow  it,  because  it  loas  ap- 
pointed by  his  own  decree  !!!  B.  III.  chap.xxiii.  sect.  6. 

"  Elect  infants,  dying  in  infancy,  are  regenerated 
and  saved  by  Christ,  through  the  Spirit,  who  worketh 
when  and  where  and  how,  He  pleaseth."  (Confession 
of  faith,  chap.  x.  sect.  3.)  Now  if  there  be  elect  infants, 
there  must  also  be  reprobate  infants,  "for  election 
without  reprobation  cannot  stand." 

It  is  no  small  relief  to  us  to  find,  however,  on 
page  346,  the  following  sentence.  "  /  wish  to  commit 
no  individual  or  denomination,  for  my  views  of 
the  catholic  doctrine"  This  allows  us  the  conso- 
lation to  believe  that  in  that  part  of  the  "  catholic 
doctrine"  upon  which  we  have  been  animadverting, 
our  author  has  inculcated  sentiments,  which  his  own 
denomination  would  disclaim,  as  well  as  others 
of  kindred  faith,  in  many   matters  of  doctrine,  who 


124 

are  therefore  not  to  he  held  responsible,  for  the 
errors  we  have  been  called  to  examine.  But  as  these 
views  of  the  "  glorious  and  fundamental"  doctrine  of 
predestination  are  professedly  those  of  the  author,  we 
have  deemed  it  proper  briefly  to  notice  ihem  here,  as 
they  form  so  important  an  item  in  the  general  scope 
of  his  work.  We  must  be  allowed  to  express  the 
hope,  that  there  are  but  few  among  his  "  fathers  and 
brethren"  to  wdiom  the  w^ork  is  inscribed,  or  among 
his  own  denomination,  who  would  be  willing  to  avow 
the  incongruous  creed  which  he  has  here  declared  as 
his  ow^n  ;  and  we  have  reason  to  know,  that  many  of 
his  personal  and  denominational  friends,  have  express- 
ed their  deep  regret  at  the  doctrinal  contents  of  his 
book.  Indeed,  we  very  much  mistake  the  ingenuous- 
ness of  the  author,  if  he  do  not  feel  it  to  be  his  duty 
magnanimously  to  confess  his  error,  and  bring  forth 
fruits  meet  for  repentance,  by  recalling  the  publication. 
And  fortunately  for  himself  and  the  cause,  this  would 
be  an  easy  task,  and  perhaps  every  way  practicable 
as  well  as  expedient,  since  it  is  well  understood,  that 
very  few  copies  have  yet  been  sold. 

We  regret,  however,  that  we  are  obliged  to  record 
that  a  periodical  of  some  roputation,lately  "announced 
its  award"  upon  the  character  of  the  work  before  us, 
in  terms  which  will  go  far  to  identify  the  whole 
Presbyterian  denomination  with  the  doctrinal  cha- 
racteristics of  the  author.  Whether  the  review  is 
written  by  one  of  his  *'  fathers  and  brethren"  or  not, 
it  is  well  known,  that  some  of  them  are  contributors 


125 

and  collaborators  for  the  work,  and  that  it  is  exten- 
sively patronized  by  the  ministry  and  membership  of 
the  Calvinistic  churches  generally. 

The  notice  to  which  we  allude  appeared  in  the 
"  Biblical  Repertory  of  October,  1833,"  and  is  of 
course  anonymous.  And  although  the  writer  of 
that  paper,  obviously  designs  to  eulogize  both  Dr.  Cox 
and  his  book,  and  furnish  an  endorsement  ex  cathedra 
of  his  bull  of  excommunication,  from  the  pale  of  the 
Christian  church,  against  Friends  universal  ;  yet 
even  he  cannot  refrain  from  rebuking  the  unsparing 
"severity  and  sarcasm"  with  which  the  work  abounds, 
and  is  constrained  to  admit  that  "  it  contains  some 
sweeping  expressions,  which,  to  say  the  least,  would 
need  to  be  interpreted  with  considerable  qualification, 
either  to  be  consistent  with  sober  fact,  or  in  keeping 
with  the  true  spirit  of  the  gospel  /" 

But  notwithstanding  this  reviewer  thus  takes  ex- 
ception to  the  "  prpfuseness  in  epithets  that  savor  of 
harshness,"  to  the  "  excess  of  irony,"  and  to  the  "  un- 
justifiable extreme  of  severity,"  into  which  our  author's 
"  elastic  spirit"  has  led  him,  yet  he  finds  an  ample 
apology  for  him,  in  the  fact  of  his  former  ^bondage  to 
the  errors  of  the  system  he  is  reprobating ;  and  indeed 
he  declares  that  his  writings  are  not  to  be  judged  by 
any  of  the  common  standards  of  taste.  And  he  even 
excuses  his  cabalistical  sentences,  because  they  are 
so  "  superlatively  brilliant,"  and  declares  that  "  his 
literary  offences    are  so  striking  and  magnificent, 

11* 


126 

that  almost  any  critic  would  find  it  an  easy  matter  to 
forgive  them."  In  short,  the  doctrine  of  this  Biblical 
Repertory  and  T/ieo/ogical  Review  seems  to  be,  that 
our  author  is  such  a  perfect  anomaly,  such  an  intel  • 
lectual  prodigy,  so  "  magnificent  and  superlatively 
brilliant"  in  his  "  splendid  eccentricities,"  that  he  is  to 
be  exempt  from  conformity  to  any  standard  in  litera- 
ture or  morals.  And  being  thus  a  "  perfect  unique," 
he  is  to  be  regarded  as  sui  generis,  and  his  inconsis- 
tencies with  "  sober  fact,''  and  his  contrarieties  with 
the  "  true  spirit  of  the  gospel,"  are  all  to  be  consider- 
ed only  as  "  splendid  eccentricities."  Such  syco- 
phancy does  but  illy  befit  a  theological  critic,  and 
gives  glaring  evidence  of  a  purpose  to  flatter  the 
author  at  any  expense,  even  that  of  depreciating  the 
standard  of  truth  and  righteousness,  in  order  to  apolo- 
gize for  that  which  he  cannot  approve. 

It  is  true,  that  this  reviewer  differs  from  Dr.  Cox, 
in  reference  to  the  recent  division  among  the  Quakers 
in  this  country,  for  he  admits  "  the  establishment  of 
the  orthodox  party,  to  be  considered  as  holding  the 
original  doctrines  of  the  sect  ;"  and  also  that  "  the 
Quaker  doctrine  of  Hnward  lighf  may  be  held  in 
consistency  with  t7^ue  piety."  Nay,  he  absolutely 
contradicts  the  averment  of  the  author  in  the  title  of 
his  book,  and  elsewhere,  by  such  statements  as  the 
following. 

"  Quakerism  does  not,  in  all  cases  at  least,  neutra- 
lize  the  genuine  influence  of  the  gospel."       "  We 


127 

would  recognize  the  distinction  which  is  claimed  by 
the  orthodox  party,  and  we  would  be  the  last  to  deny, 
that  true  merit,  and  even  extraordinary  merit,  has 
frequently  been  found,  where  Quakerism,  in  some 
form  or  other,  has  been  avowed."  "  And  it  cannot  be 
questioned,  that  some  cases  of  decided,  and  even 
eminent  piety ,  exist  among  the  Friends  ;  and  it  is  due 
to  candor  also  to  acknowledge,  that,  as  a  sect,  they 
are  in  many  respects  distinguished  by  exemplary  mo- 
rality ^'^  But  notwithstanding  all  these  admissions, 
the  reviewer  goes  on  to  say,  "  after  all,  we  are  com- 
pelled to  believe  with  Dr.  Cox,  that  Quakerism  in 
any  form  is  to  be  regarded  as  serious  error,"  and  "  it 
is  at  best,  an  adulterated  kind  of  Christianity." 

We  have  thus  noticed  this  review  from  a  Calvin- 
istic  periodical ;  and,  indeed,  we  have  introduced  it 
to  our  readers,  that  they  may  perceive  the  striking 
confirmation  it  furnishes,  of  the  nature  of  the  "  he- 
resy," which  both  the  author  and  reviewer  find  in 
Quakerism  ; — we  mean,  its  anti-Cahinistic  tendency. 

For,  after  admitting  that  ''  the  doctrines  of  the 
trinity,  the  atonement,  and  justification,  by  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ,"  all  of  which  our  author  denies  to  Qua- 
kerism, "  are  held  by  the  orthodox  party  in  such  a 
sense,  as  to  constitute  a  broad  distinction  between 
them  and  the  followers  of  Hicks,"  this  reviewer 
adds : — 

"  In  respect  to  those  points,  which  relate  imme- 


128 

diatcly  to  the  economy  of  human  salvation,  the  most 
orthodox  Qiiahcrism,  so  far  as  we  arc  able  to  under- 
stand it,  is  thoroughly  Arminian  !  The  Quakerism 
of  the  Ilicksites,  though  it  will  admit  some  orthodox 
phraseology,  and  wrap  itself,  to  some  extent,  in  the 
old  garb  of  mysticism,  is,  in  all  its  substantial  cha- 
racteristics, the  INFIDELITY  OF  DaVID  Hu3IE  !" 

Here  then  is  the  estimate  of  both  departments  of 
Quakerism,  as  held  by  "  the  Biblical  Repertory  and 
Theological  Review," — a  Calvinistic  periodical,  con- 
ducted by  "  an  association  of  gentlemen,  in  Prince- 
ton and  its  vicinity."  And  it  is  obvious  that,  while 
they  admit  the  distinction  to  be  a  "  broad"  one  be- 
tween "  thorough  Armi?iianism"  and  the  "  infidelity 
of  David  Ilume^''  yet  the  former  is,  in  their  opinion, 
as  much  a  *'  cardinal  heresy"  as  the  latter.  Hence, 
the  reviewer  affirms  in  another  place,  that  "  the  sys- 
tem of  Quakerism  is,  in  its  best  form,  a  species  of 
mystified  Arminianism ;"  and  the  inferences  he  thence 
draws,  afford  conclusive  evidence  that  the  mysticism 
is  attributed  to  Arminianism  itself,  and  that  he  does 
not  mean  to  be  understood,  that  the  system  is  mysti- 
fied, or  perverted  from  its  legitimate  tendency.  For, 
he  adds,  "  Admitting  the  doctrine  of  the  inward  light^ 
to  be  something  like  the  orthodox  doctrine  of  a  divine 
influence,  yet  we  believe  nearly  all  Quakers  agree  in 
the  notion,  that  their  ultimate  salvation  depends,  not 
on  the  sovereign  grace  of  God,  in  implanting  a  new 
principle  in  the  soul,  but  on  their  own  diligent  eflbrts 
in  cultivating  a  principle,  which  originally  belongs  to 


129 

them."  And  in  another  place  the  review  charges 
Quakerism  with  viewing  good  works  as  "  constitut- 
ing the  price  of  their  final  salvation,  rather  than  as 
the  fruit  of  that  living  faith,  which  knows  nothing  of 
human  merit,  and  looks  for  eternal  life,  only  through 
God's  sovereign  grace." 

Now,  it  is  fair  to  infer,  that  the  reviewer  here 
means,  not  to  apply  these  remarks  to  the  "  infidelity 
of  David  Hume,"  but  to  the  Arminianism  of  the  "  or- 
thodox." And  here  we  have  as  ignorant  or  as  wilful 
a  perversion  of  "  the  Armiiiian  view,"  as  that  of  which 
we  have  already  convicted  Dr.  Cox.  And  from  these 
quotations  it  is  plain,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  "  Divine 
sovereignty,'*  for  which  the  reviewer  contends,  is 
that  Calvinistic  interpretation,  upon  which  we  have 
already  animadverted  ;  and  that  the  reviewer  means 
to  denounce  Quakerism  for  the  same  reason  with  our 
author,  though  with  less  causticity,  which  is,  "  the 
Arminianism  of  the  system." 

Accordingly,  the  reviewer  regards  the  doctrine  of 
•'  inward  light,"  as  "  stamping  the  missionary  enter- 
prize  with  consummate  folly,"  and,  in  the  same  spirit 
with  our  author,  insists  that  there  is  no  use  in  "  send- 
ing the  Holy  Scriptures  through  the  nations,  when 
the  light  within,  is  the  natural  birthright  of  every 
Pagan  and  Jew,  and  Mahommedan,  as  well  as  Chris- 
tian, under  heaven."  This  review,  therefore,  may  be 
regarded  as  endorsing  the  general  scope  of  Dr.  Cox's 
assault  upon  Quakerism  and  its  votaries,  as  well  as 
"  all  other  Arminians."     And  we  have  indulged  this 


130 

digression  for  the  purpose  of  sustaining  the  propriety 
of  the  title  of  this  volume,  as  well  as  confirming  the 
views  we  have  taken  of  the  general  scope  and  design 
of  the  work  before  us.  We  shall  now,  therefore,  re- 
sume our  strictures,  by  passing  to  the  third,  or  clos- 
ing part  of  the  volume. 

In  the  third  part  of  the  volume,  which  treats  on 
the  sacraments  and  the  ministry,  the  author  is 
comparatively  brief.  This  is  matter  of  surprise  and 
regret,  since  it  is  plain  that  the  differences  which 
separate  the  Society  of  Friends  from  other  evan- 
gelical denominations,  are  mainly  in  these  two  par- 
ticulars. And  as  the  system  of  Quakerism  is  dis- 
tinctively and  essentially  opposite  to  most  other  Chris- 
tian churches,  on  these  peculiar  topics,  the  author 
might  have  employed  much  of  his  learning  and  zeal 
in  disproving,  or  at  least  controverting  these  pecu- 
liarities. Their  relative  importance  to  the  scheme 
of  Christianity,  surely  entitled  them  to  a  prominent 
place  in  a  work,  professedly  written  against  a  system, 
which,  in  these  respects,  is  totally  at  variance  with 
his  own  and  all  other  denominations  ;  and  he  might, 
therefore,  have  shown  both  his  wisdom  and  piety,  as 
well  as  exhibited  more  consistency,  had  he  dwelt 
mainly  and  largely  on  these  subjects.  Instead  of 
which,  however,  he  says,  that  he  "  thought  at  first 
wholly  to  omit  the  subject  of  the  ministry,"  though 
he  admits,  that  "  Friends  are  very  peculiar  in  many 
respects  on  this  subject,  and  wrong  in  about  as 
many,"  and  he  places  both  this  subject  and  that  of  the 
sacraments,  at  the  close  of  the  volume,  as  though  he 


131 

regarded  them  of  minor  importance,  in  comparison 
with  the  "  Grand  and  Fundamental  Error"  of  the 
"  inward  light^^  upon  which  he  ampHties  so  ex- 
tensively. 

With  respect  to  the  sacraments  of  Water  Baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper,  the  author  argues  their  divine 
origin  and  authority,  as  well  as  the  claims  which 
subordinately  commend  them  to  the  practice  of  the 
Christian  church.  And  we  think  he  successfully  meets 
the  objections  of  Barclay  ;  and  the  Friends  univer- 
sal, who  allege,  their  Popish  and  Judaic  origin,  their 
outward  character,  their  abrogation  under  the  new 
dispensation,  &c.,  although  he  has  produced  no  new 
arguments.  Indeed,  in  the  main,  we  agree  with  him 
fully,  in  this  department  of  Christian  theology, — that 
Quakerism  is  greatly  erroneous.  We  do  not  attempt, 
nor  did  we  ever  design,  a  defence  or  justification  of 
error,  either  in  Quakerism  or  any  other  system,  and 
we  have  no  hesitation,  therefore,  in  expressing  our 
conviction,  that,  with  respect  to  the  Christian  sacra- 
ments, we  regard  Quakerism  as  greatly  in  error. 
But  we  cannot,  because  of  these  peculiarities,  unite 
with  the  author  in  denouncing  the  whole  system  as  a 
"  will-of-the-wisp,  an  ignis  fatuus,  or  a  damnable 
heresy  ;"  for  we  "  have  not  so  learned  Christ ;"  nor 
do  we  believe,  that  the  author  ever  learned  it  in  "  the 
school  of  Christ.'* 

Universal  history,  as  well  of  the  church  as  of  the 
world,  demonstrates  that  a  thousand  errors  of  opinion 


132 

are  consistent  with  piety  toward  God,  and  benevo- 
lence toward  men ;  and  one  or  more  errors,  and  great 
errors,  too,  may  co-exist  in  the  head  and  in  the  heart, 
without  destroying  Chiistian  character.  Indeed,  the 
Holy  Scriptures  afford  ample  evidence,  in  the  por- 
traiture drawn  of  the  characters  of  holy  and  inspired 
men,  that,  with  all  their  piety  and  inspiration,  they 
were  liable  to  erroneous  judgment,  and  even  erro- 
neous practice.  Witness  the  indignant  act  of  Moses, 
in  breaking  the  tables  of  stone  ;  the  pusillanimity  of 
Aaron,  in  making  the  golden  calf;  the  mistake  of  the 
prophet,  Elijah,  in  supposing  that  he  w^as  left  alone, 
when  there  were  seven  thousand  men,  who  had  not 
bowed  the  knee  to  Baal ;  the  contentions  of  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  cum  multis  aliis,  with  which  the  author 
must  be  familiar.  And,  indeed,  he  expresses  the  very 
sentiment,  for  which  we  plead — "  it  is  difficult  to  know 
with  how  much  error,  ignorance,  and  eccentricity  ; — 
piety  may  co-exist ;"  and  also,  when  speaking  of  the 
differences  of  opinion  in  his  own  denomination  in  the 
following  language.  What  a  pity,  that  he  could  not 
be  equally  liberal  and  catholic,  toward  the  Quakers, 
and  "  all  other  Arminians." 

"  How  great  and  how  many  are  the  matters  in 
which  you  are  agreed  : — in  which  you  aim  decisively 
at  the  same  thing  !  and  profoundly  may  we  question, 
whether,  from  the  certain  imperfection  of  Christians, 
in  this  world,  and  the  variety  of  your  educational  and 
/oca/ influences, and  the  individuality,  which  the  plastic 
hand  that  formed,  has  stamped  upon  your  minds,  and 


133 

the  acknowledged  idiosyncrasy  of  character,  which 
has  always  existed  in  the  churches,  and  diversified  her 
modern,  as  it  did  her  ancient  ministers — men,  of  con- 
science and  independent  thought,  and  habituated  in- 
vestigation pre-eminently  ;  we  could  ever  wisely  an- 
ticipate, in  the  true  church  of  God,  a  much  greater 
degree  of  theological  coincidence  on  earth,  than  ex- 
ists among  you."  And,  after  proposing  a  truce  to  the 
strifes  and  controversy  among  brethren,  he  adds : — 

"  Suppose,  fathers  and  brethren,  there  was  among 
us  more  of  a  manifest  assiduity  o^  kindness,  more  of 
magnifying  the  things  of  unity,  and  diminishing  the 
things  of  dissidence ; — more  intercourse,  frankness, 
and  love,  according  to  the  temper  of  the  blessed  Paul ; 
more  of  an  unwillingness  to  misunderstand,  suspect, 
inculpate,  or  avoid  one  another  ,•  more  of  a  just  ap- 
preciation of  the  motives,  and  the  sanctions,  and  the 
symbols  of  a  professed  sincerity ;  and  more,  in  short,  of 
the  temper  and  acting  of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord,  the 
Lord  of  glory, — our  example,  as  well  as  our  expia- 
tion and  our  righteousness ;  what  would  be  the  re- 
sult ?"  And  then,  in  enumerating  the  blessed  results, 
he  says,  "  we  should  see  that,  in  the  things  of  faith, 
we  are  all  more  alike,  than  perhaps,  we  suppose ; 
that  it  is  easy,  and  sweet  andscfe,  to  forbear  icith  each 
other  in  minor  peculiarities ; — that  evils  could  now 
be  a  hundred  fold  better  corrected,  when  love  came 
fresh  from  the  cross,  to  qualify  orthodoxy  into  recti' 
tude"  &c. 

12 


134 

How  exceedingly  like  heaven-born  charity  are 
these  noble  sentiments,  and  with  them  alone  we  are 
prepared  to  extend  to  Quakerism,  as  a  system,  that 
which  the  author  "  boldly  denies  ;"  and,  by  "  magni- 
fying the  things  of  unity ^  and  diminishing  the  things 
of  dissidence,'''  claim  for  the  pious,  among  Friends,  a 
recognition  of  Christian  character.  And  this  we  do, 
without  either  palliating  or  diminishing  their  errors, 
which  are  acknowledged  on  the  subject  of  the  sacra- 
ments and  the  ministry  to  be  palpable  and  multiform. 
We  would  deal  with  Quakerism  as  with  Calvinism  ; 
and  w^hile  we  adopt  Mr.  Wesley's  Christian  exam- 
ple ;  in  this  respect  we  would  commend  to  the  author 
that  of  Mr.  Rowland  Hill,  in  his  equally  Christian 
concessions  to  Arminianism,  though  a  well  known 
Calvinist.  Nothing  can  be  more  opposite  than  the 
religious  opinions  of  these  gentlemen,  and  yet  both 
parties  agreed  to  place  the  doctrines  which  distin- 
guish/?zoz^5  Calvinists  from  pious  Arminians,  among 
the  opinions  which  are  not  essential  to  genuine, 
vital,  practical  Christianity.  Mr.  Wesley's  words 
are : — 

"  You  have  admirably  well-expressed  what  I  mean 
by  an  opinion,  contradistinguished  from  an  essential 
doctrine.  Whatever  is  compatible  with  love  to  Christ, 
and  a  work  of  grace,  1  term  an  opinion,  and  certainly 
the  holding  particular  election  and  final  perseverance, 

is  compatible  with  these.  Mr.  H and  Mr.  N 

hold  these,  and  yet,  I  believe,  they  have  real  Chris- 
tian experience.     But  if  so,  this  is  only  an  opinion  ; 


135 

it  is  not  subversive  of  the  very  foundations  of  Chris- 
tian experience.  It  is  compatible  with  love  to  Christ, 
and  a  genuine  work  of  grace  ;  yea,  many  hold  it,  at 
whose  feet  I  desire  to  be  found  in  the  day  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  If  then,  I  oppose  this  with  my  whole 
strength,"  [as  our  author  obviously  does  Quakerism,] 
"  I  am  a  mere  bigot  still  /" 

Mr.  Hill's  language  is  as  follows : — 

"  As  for  the  serious  and  converted  part  of  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's congregation,  as  I  by  no  means  think  it  neces- 
sary for  any  to  be  what  are  commonly  called  Calvin- 
ists,  that  they  may  be  Christians,  I  can  most  so- 
lemnly declare  ;  however  they  may  judge  of  me,  that 
I  love  and  honor  them  not  a  little  ;  as  I  am  satisfied 
that  many  who  are  muddled  in  their  judgments,  are 
sound  in  their  experience." 

These  two  specimens  of  Christian  moderation  are 
most  honorable  to  the  heads  and  hearts  of  these  two 
ministers  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  now  we  ask  the 
author  of  the  work  before  us — might  not  he  have  ad- 
mitted somewhere,  in  his  volume,  that  though  the 
Quakers  are,  on  some  topics,  "  muddled  in  their  judg- 
ments, yet  they  may  be  sound  in  their  experience,'* 
or  might  he  not  hope,  against  hope,  if  need  be,  tha 
their  view  of  the  sacraments,  as  well  as  the  ministry', 
may  be  "compatible  with  love  to  Christ,  and  a  woik 
of  grace."  These  are  the  convictions,  under  which 
we  repel  his  denunciation  of  Quakerism,  and  main- 


136 

tain  that  he  has  violated  the  very  principles  of  anti- 
sectarianism,  by  which  he  exhorts  h  s  brethren  to  be 
governed,  in  branding  the  Quakers  with  the  epithet 
of"  cardinal  heretics,  the  whole  of  them,  from  the  be- 
ginning." And  instead  of  any  concession  resembling 
that  of  Mr.  Wesley  and  Mr.  Hill,  we  find  him  say- 
ing, "  The  only  hope  I  can  have  for  the  salvation  of 
a  Friend, — I  speak  my  own  conviction  as  it  is, — re- 
poses in  this  one  qualifier ; — for  ought  I  know,  he 
may  be  better  in  his  feelings  than  his  philosophy, 
or  the  ordinary  symbols  of  his  creed."  "  If  there 
happens  to  be  a  state  eternal,  a  thorough  and  consist- 
ent mere  Quaker  may  well  wish  he  had  never  been 
born."  "  He  may  there,  too  late  discover, — if  he 
fails  to  do  it  here — that  Jesus  Christ  meant  something 
by  hell  fire, — where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  their 
fire  is  not  quenched !"  "  Friends  may  grow  better, 
may  repent  and  believe  the  gospel,  may  become 
Christians, — but  their  system,  Friendism,  is  another 
thing,"  &c.  Thus  it  is  plain,  that  our  author  allows 
a  chance  for  the  salvation  of  a  Quaker  only  upon  the 
supposition,  that  he  repent  of  his  opposition  to  the 
"  one  system,"  and  turn  Calvinist  before  he  dies.  But 
in  the  language  of  Mr.  Fletcher,  w^e  ask,  "  might  not 
an  inquisitor  be  as  charitable  ?  Might  he  not  hope, 
that  the  poor  heretic,  whom  he  has  condemned  to  the 
flames,  may  yet  he  saved,  if  he  cordially  kiss  a  cru- 
cifix, and  say  Ave  Maria !  at  the  stake  ?"  Such  is 
clearly  the  treatment  the  Quakers, — the  whole  of 
them,  from  the  beginning, — receive  at  this  author's 
hands,   though  he    says,   he   "  writes   impersonally 


137 

of   the    system,"   and    **  attacks    their    tenets, — not 
themr 

In  condemning  the  temper  and  spirit  of  the  author, 
we  are  not  by  any  means  pleading  for  doctrinal  lati- 
tudinarianism,  or  that  spm'ious  charity,  which  the 
author  imputes  to  Quakerism,  alleging  that  sincerity 
is  all,  and  which  he  attributes  to  all  those  who  en- 
dure the  "  heavenly-looking  heresy."  But  we  insist 
on  the  distinction  between  essential  and  circumstan- 
tial differences.  As  has  been  well  said,  by  an  able 
writer,  "  The  difference  there  is  between  the  Chris- 
tians and  the  Mahommedans  is  essential ;  but  the 
difference  between  us  and  those  who  receive  the 
Scriptures,  and  believe  in  the  Father,  Son,  mid  Holy 
Ghost,  is,  in  general,  about  non-essentials,  and,  there- 
fore, such  a  difference  ought  not  to  hinder  union, 
although,  in  some  cases,  it  may  and  should  prevent  a 
close  communion.  If  we  fancy  that  every  diversity 
of  doctrine,  discipline,  or  ceremony,  is  a  sufficient 
reason  to  keep  our  brethren  at  arm's-length  from  us, 
we  are  not  so  much  the  followers  of  the  condescend- 
ing Jesus,  as  of  the  stiff  and  implacable  professors 
mentioned  in  the  gospel,  who  made  much  ado  about 
mint,  anise,  and  cummin  ;  but  shamefully  neglected 
mercy,  forbearance,  and  love." 

On  the  subject  of  the  Christian  ministry,  the  author 
evinces  some  share  of  intelligence,  learning,  and  ar- 
gumentation,  in   which   he  opposes    the   views    of 
Friends,  both  on  the  subject  of  the  propriety  and  obli- 
12* 


138 

gation  that  they  who  "  preach  the  gospel,  should  live 
of  the  gospel,"  and  their  regularly  authorized /ewafe 
ministmj.  We  are  free  to  confess,  that  on  those  sub- 
jects, with  some  few  exceptions,  his  views  are  en- 
lightened, scriptural,  and  lucidly  expressed,  although 
with  too  much  brevity,  comparatively  with  the  rest 
of  the  volume.  But  we  doubt  the  conclusion  to  which 
he  arrives, — that  "iYo  Friend  either  does,  or  can  pos- 
sess, the  requisite  qualifications  ;  and  consequently 
no  Friend,  as  such,  is  called  of  God,  or  has  any  right 
to  be  owned  hy  man,  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ."  And  we  question  still  more,  the 
Christian  propriety  of  the  spirit  in  which  they  and 
their  ministry  are  criticised  and  ridiculed  ;  for,  in 
truth,  we  affirm  that,  in  this  and  many  other  parts  of 
the  volume,  the  persons,  character,  and  performances 
of  Quakers,  and  especially  their  female  preachers,  are 
broadly  caricatured.  Indeed,  the  spirit  of  bitterness 
of  this  last  subject,  treated  in  the  volume,  partakes  so 
much  of  malignity  that,  in  a  Christian  minister,  it  is 
wholly  unaccountable,  except  on  the  unwelcome  sup- 
position, that  he  inherits  the  temper  of  his  brother 
Calvinists,  who  came  to  -America  in  the  settlement  of 
New  England,  who  "  whipped  the  Quakers,  men  and 
women,  cut  off  their  ears,  made  against  them  a  law 
of  banishment  upon  pain  of  death,  and  upon  that  ty- 
rannical law,  hanged  four  of  their  preachers,  three 
men  and  one  woman,  in  the  last  century,  for  preach- 
ing up  the  Christian  perfection  of  faith  and  obedience, 
and  so  disturbing  the  peace  of  the  elect,  who  were  at 
'  ease  in  Zion,'  or  rather  in  Babel." 


139 

We  are  aware  that  the  author  ridicules  their  per- 
secutions, as  for  the  most  part  having  been  merited 
by  their  practices  as  religionists,  and  so  inflicted,  for 
what  they  dM.4->  rather  than  for  what  they  taught ;  and 
we  confess,  that  this  cruelty  on  his  part,  is  not  very 
creditable  to  his  knowledge  of  the  facts,  as  sober  his- 
tory has  registered  them,  nor  to  his  humanity.  And 
the  vulgarity  of  his  prose,  and  especially  his  poetry, 
on  the  subject  of  women  "  going  naked  through  the 
streets  for  a  sign,"  and  their  being  punished  for  this 
"  piece  of  devilism,"  and  charging  it  upon  Quaker 
inspiration,  is  "  next  door  to  horrid  impiety."  But 
that  the  reader  may  form  his  own  estimate  of  the 
profane  vulgarism,  in  which  the  author  indulges  on 
this  subject,  we  here  insert  a  few  lines  only  of  a 
poem,  written  by  this  reverend  author,  and  most 
strangely  united  to  other  lines  from  Dr.  Young's 
"  Universal  Passion." 


"  Naked  in  nothing  should  a  woman  be, 
But  veil  her  very  wit  with  modesty  ; 
Or  'for  a  sign,'   if  '  naked,^  one  must  go, 
Select  some  sterner  victim  for  the  show  I 
I  would,  were  he  alive,  prefer  that  Fox 
Should  be  '  a  sign'  to  teach  the  orthodox  ! 
But  knoic,  such  duties  of  rare  piety, 
My  lady  Friend!  may  next  solicit  thee! 
Alas !  how  few  in  these  degenerate  days 
Would  own  the  mandate  in  its  equal  ways  1 
Still  for  the  best  we  hope,  and  should  prepare, 
Some,  if  the  "occasion  called,  perhaps  there  are  ! 
In  times  like  ours,  few  striking  'signs'  are  found, 
But  soon  with  Friends!  who  knows?  they  may  abound  !" 

Such  is  the  poetry  of  the  author,  who  says,  he  has 


140 

♦•  mainly  supplied  these  lines,"  so  that  there  can  be 
no  doubt  of  their  reverend  paternity.  With  his  mo- 
tives, he  says,  we  have  nothing  to  do,  but  admits 
they  arc  of  infinite  importance  to  himself.  The 
reader  will  judge,  when  he  finds  the  following  of- 
fered as  a  reason  for  this  poetic  inspiration,  though 
he  may  probably  think  it  almost  as  bad  an  inspiration 
as  going  "  naked  for  a  sign."  The  following  is  his 
second  reason  for  this  poetry  : — 

"  I  not  only  believe  that  the  spectacle  of  naked 
females  occurred,  and  that  often,  in  the  times  of 
Cromwell,  and  the  second  Charles,  as  well  as  on  se- 
veral occasions  in  'New  England,  but  that  they  are 
legitimate  fruits  of  the  system.''  "  Let  the  public  judge 
a  system  that  inspires  such  actions,  and  may  at  any 
time  turn  droves  of  naked  females  into  your  streets  /'' 
&c.  But  I  forbear  ; — the  subject  and  the  comments 
of  the  author  upon  it,  pollute  the  pages  of  one  volume 
in  extenso,  and  that  is  enough.  And  thus  Quaker- 
ism is  told,  that  this  "  piece  of  devilism"  is  a  "  legi- 
timate fruit  of  their  system  ;"  and  more,  we  are  told, 
"  All  Friends  have  to  sanction,  and  must  defend  it !  T 

Now  suppose  that  Friends  should  measure  out  to 
the  system  of  the  author  and  to  all  Calvinists  the  same 
measure  he  has  meted  to  them  ?  Shall  they  reply  to 
the  author  that  as  Calvinists  who  fled  from  transatlan- 
tic persecution,  themselves  became  the  persecutors  of 
the  Quakers  in  New  England ;  that  these  things 
result  from  their  system,  and  may  occur  again"  and 


141 

then  ask  the  public  to  "  judge  of  a  system  which  may 
at  any  time"  whip  the  Quakers,  men  and  women,  cut 
off  their  ears,  and  hang  both  men  and  women,  for  con- 
science sake  !  and  ask  "  when  did  Christianity  ever  in- 
spire that  piece  of  devilism  V  Might  they  not  retort 
and  say,  that  as  Calvin  caused  Castellio  to  he  banished, 
because  he  could  not,  for  conscience  sake,  believe  as 
he  did,  that  God  had  ordained  men  to  be  damned  ; 
and  as  Calvin  ^ho  caused  Servetus  to  be  burned  for 
denying  the  divinity  of  Christ,  if  his  own  report  of 
him  is  to  be  credited ;  and  as  Calvin  afterward  pub- 
licly maintained  and  defended  that  it  was  lawful  to 
burn  heretics,  that  therefore,  these  abominations  are 
the  "  legitimate  fruits  of  the  systcm,^^  and  all  Calvinists 
"  have  to  sanction  and  must  defend  them  /"  Would  he 
not  complain  and  remonstrate  against  such  cruelty  ? 
And  yet  might  they  not  appeal  to  his  book,  and  show 
that  they  have  only  used  the  lex  talionis,  and  strictly 
followed  his  ministerial  example  ! 

We  believe  that  Friends  universal  are  no  more 
indentified  with  these  and  other  extravagances  to 
which  the  author  alludes,  than  the  author  and  his 
system  are  accountable  for  the  crimes  or  follies  of 
Calvin,  or  any  of  the  male  and  female  fanatics,  whom 
as  he  would  say  have  abused  Calvinism  by  perverting 
it  to  their  own  destruction  and  that  of  others.  How 
many  hundreds  of  murders  and  suicides  have  been 
impelled  to  their  deeds  of  blood  by  absolute  decrees, 
and  shall  we  call  these  the  legitimate  fruits  of  the 
system  V    We  may,  and  maintain   it  too,   with  far 


142 

greater  consistency  than  the  author  thus  affirms  of 
Quakerism,  in  the  cases  alluded  to.  Verbum  sat.  In- 
deed we  cannot  withhold  the  remark,  that  when  he 
charges  upon  Quakerism  a  tendency  to  produce  in- 
sanity, and  even  suicide,  he  "  touches  a  springy  fires  a 
train,  and  ignites  a  mine  of  explosion  and  ruin  to  his 
total  Calvinism.'^  If  he  could  give  names, — a  number, 
— now  at  command;  and  of  acquaintance,  Friends, 
who  under  the  influence  of  their  mysticism,  have  gone 
lunatics  and  died  maniacs, — some,  and  these  their 
preachers,  by  self  violence  V  does  he  not  know  that 
similar  names  of  Calmnists,  and  preachers  too,  could 
be  given  in  far  greater  numbers  ;  and  that  the  asy- 
lums for  lunatics  are  filled,  through  this  and  other 
countries,  with  living  examples  of  the  "  tendency" 
of  his  system,  quite  as  legitimately,  as  those  instances 
he  charges  upon  that  of  Friends.  Let  him  read  Dr. 
Rush's  Essay  on  Diseases  of  the  Mind,  and  he  will 
see  there,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  where  Quakers 
abounded,  then  more  than  now,  whether  the  "  mysti- 
cism" of  Friends,  or  the  "  horribile  deci'etum"  of  Cal- 
vin, furnished  the  most  victims.  If  the  Quakers  were 
wont  to  return  "  railing  for  railing,"  they  are  furnish- 
ed with  ample  materials  not  only  in  the  work  of  Dr. 
Rush,  but  in  the  records  of  all  the  asylums  and  retreats 
for  the  insane,  at  home  and  abroad,  in  which  erroneous 
opinions  in  religion,  Calvinistically  inspired,  are  an- 
nually multiplying  victims,  more  than  all  other  moral 
causes  combined.  "  We  write  this  as  a  w^itness,  rather 
than  a  disputer  ;  and  state  it  as  a  fact,  rather  than  an 
argument."     But  we  do  not  authorize  the  imputation 


143 

of  these  calamities  to  the  Calvinists,  or  pretend  that 
they  "  all  of  them  maintain  and  must  defend  them  ;" 
nor  even  if  it  were  otherwise,  as  he  broadly  insinuates, 
would  Friends  or  their  system  be  justly  stigmatized, 
for  the  author  will  concede,  that  for  abuses  such  as 
these  instances  exemplify,  no  system  can  be  justly 
condemned.  Hence,  we  very  properly  repel  the  in- 
sinuation so  often  made  by  infidels,  that  the  Christian 
religion  has  a  tendency  to  dethrone  reason  ;  and  that 
maniacs  are  the  "  legitimate  fruits  of  the  system,"  a 
calumny  which  infidelity  continues  most  impiously 
to  repeat.  They  have,  however,  as  much  ground  for 
the  imputation  every  way,  as  the  author  has  for  simi- 
lar disingenuousness  towards  Friends,  and  we  cannot 
but  express  our  regret,  that  he  should  be  found  in  such 
unhallowed  company. 

We  shall  not  burden  our  pages  with  the  fault-find- 
ing of  the  author,  with  the  plain  language,  plain  dress 
and  plain  address,  &c.  on  which  he  indulges  in  a  strain 
of  irony,  ridicule,  and  satire,  very  unbecoming,  when 
it  is  considered  that  these  Quakerisms  are  not  only 
harmless,  but  son^e  of  them,  particularly  plain  dress^ 
absolutely  scriptural,  in  opposition  to  the  anti-Chris- 
tian conformity  to  the  world,  which  most  professors  of 
religion  are  notoriously  guilty  of,  in  contravention  of 
the  plain  precepts  of  Jesus  Christ.  At  the  same  time, 
we  allege  that  if  he  designed  to  benefit  the  Friends  on 
these  topics  he  has  taken  a  most  injudicious  and  un- 
christian method  of  instructing  them,  especially  when 
he  knows,  that  they  regard  all  these  as  matters  o^ 


144 

conscience.  It  is  iu  vain  for  him  to  ask  "  what  right 
have  they  to  keep  sucli  a  conscience !"  They  might 
with  as  much  justice  ask  him  this  question  in  refe- 
rence to  many  of  those  things,  in  which  his  conscience 
diflers  from  theirs.  Nor  will  it  avail  him  to  say,  that 
they  are  in  error  on  these  topics ;  for  it  would  become 
him  in  such  a  case  to  labor  to  "  restore  them  in  the 
spirit  of  meekness,"  and  not  by  grossly  railing  at 
them,  and  caricaturing  their  ]irincip]cs  and  practice- 
Nay,  if  those  are  evidences  of  imbecility,  he  exhibits 
little  of  the  temper  of  the  blessed  Paul  towards 
"  weak  brethren."  And  these  remarks  will  apply  to 
many  parts  of  the  work  before  us,  on  which  we  have 
either  purposely  or  inadvertently  omitted  to  remark. 

Such  is  the  horror  of  the  author  at  every  thing  ap- 
pertaining to  his  quondam  brethren,  that  it  would 
seem  that  the  looks,  the  words,  and  the  manners  of  a 
Quaker,  are  alike  objects  of  his  u'nmingled  antipathy; 
and,  as  though  his  nervous  system  had  suffered  from  a 
bite,  which  had  developed  a  morbid  condition,  which 
might  be  styled  the  Qunlier-phohia.  Hence,  in  con- 
nection with  the  subject  of  the  sacraments,  he  cannot 
refrain,  while  complaining  of  tlie  Quakers,  for  disal- 
lowing those  of  Christianity  from  accusing  them,  ne- 
vertheless, of  holding  "  three  sacra?neiiis"  instead  of 
two,  viz.:  *^ plain  dress,  plain  language,  and  plain 
address;^''  and,  he  adds,  "  I  believe  these  are  abso- 
lutely anti' Christian." 

On  what  authority  he  attributes  to  Friends  the 


145 

recognition  of  these  as  "  sacraments'^  does  not  appear, 
except  because  he  "  knows  ;" — and  how  he  would 
prove    either  of  these  peculiarities,  to  be    absolutely 
anti- Christian,  we  know  not,   unless  by  saying,  "  it 
were  affectation  to  imply  that  I  did  not  think  myself  a 
judge  in  such  matters."     He  would  probably  say  on 
this  as  on  another  subject,  "  these  are  my  convictions, 
and  I  know  that  they  are  just  as  true  as  the  New  Tes- 
tament !"  Accordingly,  he  proceeds  to  supply  his  lack 
of  argument,  bv  ridiculing  their  "  carefulness  about 
plainness  of  speech,  behavior,  and  apparel"  in  terms  of 
satire,  and  offers  a  gross  caricature  of  these  several 
particulars,  and  one  which  "  wise  men  will  only  com- 
passionate."    Indeed,  he  seems  to  have  forgotten  that 
"  non-conformity   to  the   world"  is  one  of  the  plain 
precepts  of  Christianity  ;  and  Xh^i plainness  o^  speech, 
behavior,  and  apparel,  is  obviously  taught  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,    and   especially  in  the  New   Testament. 
In  these  respects,  therefore,  at  least,  the  Quakers  ac- 
knowledge the  paramount  authority  of  the  Word  of 
God  ;"  while  our  author  pronounces  these  scriptural 
usages  of  Friends,  to  be    "absolutely  anti-christian." 
But  this  is  only  another  of  his  "  splendid  eccentrici- 
ties," and   "  magnificient  blunders," 

And  now,  in  the  conclusion  of  our  review  of  this 
extended  volume,  we  take  occasion  summarily  to  say, 
that  there  are  many  features  of  the  system  of  Friends, 
many  opinions  held  and  taught  by  them,  many  prin- 
ciples and  practices  by  them  deemed  scriptural  and 
orthodox,  on  which  we  differ  with  them  altogether. 
13 


146 

But  we  think  we  have  nevertheless  shown,  that  their 
system  primitively,  and  that  of  the  "orthodox,"   so 
called,  is  abundantly  capable  of  being  defended  from 
the  charge  of  "  cardinal  heresy,"  on  the  great  funda- 
mental truths  of  Christianity.  And  though  the  author 
very  often  asserts  the  contrary,  yet  we  appeal  to  the 
candid  reader,  whether  the  authorities  presented  in 
our  brief  notice  do  not  amply  shield  the  system  and 
its  votaries  from  his  reproaches.     If  we  had  not  be- 
lieved   most   confidently,   from    our   knowledge   of 
Friends  and  their  writings,  that  the  allegations  of  the 
author  were  wholly  unfounded,  on  the  main  topics  he 
has  treated,  we  had  never  undertaken  the  present 
task.     But  conscientiously  persuaded  that  the  system 
was  palpably  misrepresented  and  unjustly  abused  ; 
and  remembering  among  the  Friends,  very  many  of 
our   "  kinsmen  after   the  flesh,"  as  well  as   many 
estimable  friends  and  fellow  citizens,  of  whose  per- 
sonal piety  and  Christian  virtues,  we  have  had  the 
exemplification  of  the  **  fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  for  years 
that  are  past ; — and  with  many  near  and  dearly  be- 
loved relatives,  now  in  heaven,  who  left  this  world  in 
the  peace  of  the  gospel,  and  in  glorious  hope  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  through  faith  in  Christ ;  all 
of  whom  lived  and  died  in  the  Society  of  Friends ; — 
we  deemed  it  a  sacred  duty  to  the  genuine  Chris- 
tianity of  the  living,  as  well  as  the  memory  of  the 
pious  dead,  to  attempt  a  refutation  of  the  multiplied 
blunders  of  this  huge  volume. 

We  think  we  have  demonstrated  from  the  earliest 


147 

writings  of  Friends,  and  the  standard  authorities  of 
the  present  orthodox,  that  whatever  erroneous  opi- 
nions may  mingle  with  their  creed,  the  following  un- 
equivocal articles  of  religion,  are  firmly  believed  and 
taught  by  them  ;  and  we  affirm,  that  these  entitle 
them  legitimately  to  be  included  in  the  pale  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

"  They  profess  to  be  a  church  of  Jesus  Christ, — 
they  believe  in  his  Divinity  as  the  Son  of  God,  in  his 
incarnation,  sufferings,  death,  resurrection,  ascension, 
and  intercession.     They  believe  in  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  and  hold  heartily  that  these  three 
are  one  Supreme  and  Eternal  Jehovah.     They  be- 
lieve in  the  Divine  Authority ,  and  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  that  these  contain  all  the  doc- 
trines and  duties  of  men,  revealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  infallibly  true,  as  well  as  universally  binding  on 
all  to  whom,   in  the  providence  of  God,  they  are 
given.     They  believe  in  the  absolute  necessity  of  re- 
pentance and  faith,  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  the 
conditions  of  salvation.     They  hold  heartily  the  doc- 
trine of  justification  and  sanctification  according  to 
the  scriptures,  as  being  that  regeneration,  which  is  the 
duty  and  privilege  of  all,  through  Jesus  Christ,  by  the 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     They  believe   in  the 
immortality  of  the  soul,  the  resurrection  of  the  body, 
a  future  judgment,  and  a  state  of  eternal  rewards  and 
punishments,  in  heaven  or  hell,  according  to  the  scrip- 
tures."    All  these  they  embrace  in  their  confession, 
have  published  to  the  world  without  disguise,  and  very 


148 

many  of  them,  have  labored  and  suffered  in  both  he- 
mispheres, for  one  or  all  of  these  fundamental  doc- 
trines of  the  gospel.  In  this  faith,  thousands  have 
lived  unto  God,  and  departed  in  peace ;  and  in  this 
faith  thousands  are  now^  living  witnesses,  who  openly 
avow  these  doctrines,  and  will  make  no  other  reply 
to  the  author  and  his  book,  than  to  say,  with  the 
blessed  Paul,  "  But  this,  I  confess  to  thee,  that  after 
the  way  which  ye  call  heresy,  so  worship  I  the  God 
of  my  fathers.  Neither  can  they  prove  the  things 
whereof  they  now  accuse  me." — See  the  Appendix. 

If  we  have  proved  that  Friends  believe  all  these 
doctrines  of  the  gospel,  we  may  ask,  whether  they 
can  in  candor  and  truth,  be  denominated  "  cardinal 
heretics,"  how  many  minor  peculiarities  may  mingle 
in  their  system.  We  know,  indeed,  that  these  or 
many  of  them  are  the  precise  sentiments  and  doc- 
trines which  the  author  asserts  that  they  "  deny^' 
"  obscurely  myslify,  and  refuse  to  confess ^  But  we 
have  seen  the  strange  j^erversion  of  his  mighty  intel- 
lect, as  well  as  the  morbid  sophistry  of  his  logic,  in 
his  labored  attempts  to  prove  his  assertions.  And  we 
"  summon  the  world,"  in  his  own  language,  to  judge 
whether,  from  the  precise  authorities  upon  which  he 
relies,  we  have  not  disproved  each  of  the  allegations, 
in  fact  and  in  form,  which  he  has  presented  against 
the  system  and  Friends  universal,  as  far  as  the  faith 
of  primitive  friends,  and  modern  "  orthodox"  are 
concerned.  With  the  party  denominated  "  Hicks- 
ites"  we  have  nothing  to  do  ;  for,  although  he  declares 


149 

Hicks-ism  to  be  a  legitimate  fruit  of  the  system,  yet 
the  argument  on  which  this  affirmation  is  made,  has 
been  amply  overthrown,  by  disproving  his  charges 
against  the  system  as  such,  and  aimed,  as  they  avow- 
edly are,  at  the  orthodox.  In  his  attempt  to  conci- 
liate their  favor,  without  inquiring  into  his  motives, 
we  leave  him  "alone  in  his  glory." 

The  confidence  and  style  of  boasting  in  which  the 
author  speaks  of  his  book,  in  his  attempt  to  disarm 
criticism,  is  one  that  "  wise  men  will  only  compas- 
sionate." He  seems  to  anticipate  erroneously,  that 
Friends  will  be  in  a  great  panic  to  oppose  him,  and 
defend  themselves  from  his  book,  and  says,  he  "  ex- 
pects to  inake  them  angry. ''^  And  he  is  not  less  mis- 
taken in  this,  than  when  he  supposes  that  they  will 
find  persons  to  answer  him,  and  even  points  out 
"  worldly  wise,  superficial  and  interested  persons,  venal 
and  capricious  editors,  and  perhaps  some  illustri- 
ous in  the  world  '  in  form  and  gesture  proudly  emi- 
nent^ and  even  some  weak  and  facile  religionists  of 
different  denominations,"  as  those  who  may  side  with 
them.  So  far  as  Friends  are  concerned  in  self-vindi- 
cation, we  have  reason  to  know  that  few  of  them  have 
either  read,  or  would  consent  to  reply,  to  such  railing 
as  his  volume  contains,  and,  therefore,  he  will  fail  in 
his  expectation  to  "  make  them  angry ;"  and  it  is, 
perhaps,  because  they  adopt  the  sentiment  of  Cotton 
Mather,  that  "  slander  and  detraction  are  sparks^ 
which,  if  you  do  not  blow  them,  will  go  out  of  them- 
selves."   But  if  they  did  select  a  champion  to  break 


150 

a  lance  with  this  proud  knight,  it  is  hardly  probable 
that  they  would  make  their  election  from  either 
of  the  classes  included  in  the  author's  prophetic 
anticipation. 

But  lest  some  one  else,  should  spontaneously  ven- 
ture to  criticize  and  reply  to  his  book,  and  condemn 
its  harshness  and  severity,  he  says,  "  No  man  is 
competent  to  condemn  this  performance,  who  is  not 
a  sound  and  practical  Christian;  and  who,  to  a  cor- 
rect knowledge  of  the  doctrine  of  the  scriptures,  does 
not  unite  such  an  acquaintance  with  the  contrasted 
errors  of  Friends,  as  to  be  thence  qualified  impar- 
tially to  estimate  and  incorruptly  to  pronounce  on 
their  high  pretensions."  And  again,  "  A  man  is 
scarcely  competent  to  condemn  this  work,  whatever 
his  general  sense,  or  fame,  or  station,  unless  he  pos- 
sesses probably  the  following  qualifications : — 

"1.  He  must  have  a  correct  and  thorough  know- 
ledge of  scriptural  truth. 

"  2.  He  must  know  in  full  comparison  what  Quak- 
erism is. 

*'  3.  He  must  be  prepared  to  judge  religiously,  and 
not  from  any  worldly  motives,  between  Christianity 
and  Quakerism,  as  here  displayed.'' 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  he  indulged  great  appre- 
hensions that  the  publication  would  be  "  condemned," 


151 

and  hence  the  accurate  portraiture  he  has  drawn  of 
the  kind  of  censor  he  would  prefer,  and  proclaims  the 
incompetency  of  any  but  such,  to  do  any  thing  in  op- 
position to  the  publication.  And,  indeed,  so  "  proudly 
eminent  in  form  and  gesture,"  is  this  oracular  author, 
that  a  more  humble  Christian  might  well  be  deterred 
from  daring  to  meet  this  "  theological  Goliah."  In- 
deed, we  should  have  been  altogether  intimidated  by 
his  haughty  bearing,  had  we  not  found  in  his  book 
the  following  sentences,  on  which  we  build  our  hopes 
of  success,  viz. : — 

"  If  I  have  said  any  thing  that  is  untrue,  let  it  be 
demonstrated,  and  (if  need  be)  I  will  publicly  confess 
and  retract  it.  Not  being  inspired  or  infallible,  I  may 
commit  errors;  and,  bound  to  nothing  but  truth,  I  can 
confess  them.  And  by  demonstration,  I  mean  a  sound 
argument  from  scripture  against  the  doctrinal,  or  from 
witnesses  against  the  historical,  or  from  self-contra- 
diction against  the  didactic  averments."  "  I  will  re- 
pent of  what  I  have  written,  the  matter  of  it,  as  soon  as 
I  am  convinced  of  its  impropriety." 

Now,  with  all  deference  to  the  author's  lofty 
bearing  and  high-sounding  pretensions,  "  speaking  as 
a  witness,'"  who  "  knows  both  sides,  Quakerism  and 
Christianity,"  and  who  says,  "  it  would  be  affecta- 
tion to  imply,  that  I  did  not  think  myself  a  judge  in 
such  things ;"  we  humbly  submit  to  him  and  the 
reader,  whether  in  this  review,  we  have  not  furnished 
the  precise  kind  of  demonstration  he  calls  for  against 


152 

the  doctrinal,  historical,  and  didactic  averments,  of 
the  publication  before  us.  We  think  we  have  shown 
that  the  doctrinal  portions  of  the  work  arc  unscrip- 
tural,  its  historical  statements  uiitrup,  and  its  didactic 
department  self 'Contradictory  ;  and  if  so,  by  his 
pledge,  he  is  now  called  upon  "  publicly  to  confess 
and  retract"  these  errors;  and  if  he  is  "  bound  to  no- 
thing but  truth,"  he  cannot  evade  his  responsibility, 
however  insignificant  he  may  affect  to  regard  the 
present  criticism,  or  to  whatever  motives  he  may 
ascribe  it. 

Having  fully  expressed  our  animadversion  upon  the 
matter  of  the  work,  and  attempted  a  defence  of  the 
system  of  Quakerism,  as  well  as  the  religious  charac- 
ter of  the  truly  pious  among  Friends,  from  the  accu- 
sations of  cardinal  heresy  so  prodigally  heaped  upon 
them ;  we  have  been  also  led  to  canvass  the  preten- 
sions of  that  sophistical  and  unscriptural  "  system'^ 
which  the  author  avows  as  his  own,  and  to  which  he 
awards  the  attribute  of  exclusive  Christianity,  and 
"  Eternal  truth  !"  But  as  we  were  prepared  in  some 
measure,  to  expect  a  frank  and  fearless  avowal  of  his 
own  system,  and  also  a  perverted  one  of  that  of  the 
sect  which"  he  has  abandoned,  we  confess  that  the 
matter  of  the  work,  bad  as  it  is,  is  still  less  exception- 
able than  its  manner.  For  the  author  may  be  honestly 
mistaken  on  all  the  points  of  doctrine  of  which  he 
charges  Quakerism,  and  possibly  may  conscientiously 
think  that  Friends  are  from  the  beginning,  the  whole 
of  them,  cardinal  heretics  ;  for  we  have  seen  that  in 


153 

the  language  of  Mr.  R.  Hill,  a  man  may  be  "  muddled 
in  his  judgment,  and  yet  sound  in  his  principles."  But 
we  cannot  so  readily  believe,  that  he  could  at  any 
time  deliberately  mistake  railing  for  argument,  ridi- 
cule for  religion,  or  sneering  and  caricaturing  for 
Christian  charity.  And  we  regard  his  labored 
defence  of  the  style  and  severities  of  his  volume,  but 
as  a  "  lame  and  impotent  conclusion,"  and  one  which 
will  avail  him  nothing  in  the  estimate  of  the  judicious 
and  discerning,  of  any  party.  How  could  he  imagine 
for  a  moment,  that  the  Friends,  or  any  number  of  them, 
were  such  weak  men  as  tamely  to  acknowledge  them- 
selves heretics,  upon  his  ipse  dixit,  even  sustained  as  it 
is,  by  bitter  vituperation,  and  opprobrious  epithets. 
They  may  rather  deservedly  laugh  at  his  harmless 
arrogance,  and  impotent  rage,  and  ask,  from  the  ram- 
parts of  common  sense,  whether  he  expects  to 
"  frighten  them  by  his  anathemas,  or  bully  them  into 
orthodoxy  !" 

But  we  commend  to  our  author  the  sober  truth  and 
graphic  language  of  Dr.  Watts,  "  have  we  never  ob- 
served, what  a  mighty  prevalence  the  applause  of  a 
party,  and  the  advance  of  self-interest,  have  over  the 
hearts  and  tongues  of  men,  and  inflame  them  with 
rage  and  clamor  ?  they  rail  at  the  persons  of  all  other 
parties  to  ingratiate  themselves  with  their  own. 
When  they  put  to  death,  or  bitter  reproach,  the  minis- 
ters and  members  of  Christ,  they  boast  like  Jehu  when 
he  slew  the  priests  of  Baal,  Come  and  see  my  zeal  for 
the  Lord,      And  as  he  designed  hereby  to  establish 


154 

the  kingdom  in  his  own  hands,  so  they,  to  maintain 
the  reputation  they  have  acquired  among  their  own 
sect.  But,  ah  !  howjittlc  do  they  think  of  the  wounds 
that  Jesus  the  Lord  receives,  by  every  bitter  reproach 
they  cast  on  his  followers." 

How  far  the  author  is  implicated  in  the  temper  here 
alluded  to,  in  his  zeal  against  Quakerism  and  "  all 
other  Arminians,"  self  examination  and  prayer  may 
enable  him  to  discover.     And  we  would  commend  to 
his  consideration  whether  it  would  not  better  become 
his  character  and  profession,  if  he  would  unite  with 
us,    in    abandoning   to   bigoted    Mahomedans,    the 
absurd  notion  that  truth  is  confined  to  our  own  party  .- 
that   those  who  do  not  speak  as  we  do,  are  blind ; 
and  that   orthodoxy,  and  salvation,  are  plants  which 
will  scarcely  grow  any  where,  but  in  our  own  garden. 
**  O,  sir,  have  we  not  fighting  enough  without,  to  em- 
ploy all  our  strength  and  time  ?  JMust  we  also  declare 
war,  and  promote  fightings  within  ?    Must  we  catch 
at  every  opportunity  to  stab  one  another,  because  the 
livery  of  truth  which  we  wear,  is  not  turned  up  in  the 
same  manner  ?  Ought  we  not  to  give  over  trying  to 
disturb,  or  pull  down  a  part  of  the  Church  of  Christ, 
bacause  we  dislike  the  color  of  the  stoips  with  which 
it  is  built,  or  because  our  fellow  builders  cannot  pro- 
nounce shibboleth  just  as  we  do  ?  Will  not  bitter  words 
interchanged  among  us,  declare  like  so  many  enven- 
omed shafts,   that  though  we  do  not  now  burn  our 
fellow  professors  as  heretics,  yet  still  war  is  in  our 
hearts  /" 


155 

When  the  Quaker  preacher,  of   whom  the  author 
gives  so  ludicrous  a  description,  affectionately  said  to 
him  "  Samuel,  get  stilly  get  still,''  he  only  repeated  the 
advice  of  the  apostle,  "  study  to  be  quiet,"  and  yet  this 
scriptural  precept  is   represented,   as   superlatively 
ridiculous.     Had  the  author  profited  by  this  godly 
counsel   before  he  published  this  volume,  and  con- 
sented to   "  get  still,"  he  would  have  done    himself 
honor,  and  been  under  great  obligations  to  the  system 
of  Quakerism,  whether  he  would  have  admitted  it  to 
be  Christianity  or  not.     As  however  the  book  has  ap- 
peared, an  event,  which  the  author  says  with  "  all 
other  events  depend  supremely  on  the  sovereign  ar- 
bitration of  God  ;"  he  must  not  complain  of  the  present 
notice  of  it,  which  is  only  another  event j  explicable  by 
"  the  enthronement  of  the  Divine   sovereignty   in  his 
faith."     Had  he  not  forgotten  this  doctrine  in  its  ap- 
plication  to    Friends   and   their   system,   he  would 
scarcely  have  denounced  them  for  this  "  event"  but 
would   have  exclaimed,  as  he  does  in  another  place, 
"  How  glorious  and  pre-eminent  is  the  doctrine  of 
Divine  sovereignty,  supervening  just  here!" 

Finally,  in  the  appearance  of  the  volume  under 
notice,  we  perceive  great  cause  of  regret,  not  merely 
because  of  its  erroneous  matter,  and  the  exception- 
able manner  in  which  Friends  and  their  system  are 
treated,  but  because  the  deservedly  high  reputation 
of  the  author,  as  a  divine,  necessarily  furnishes  an  ex- 
ample to  ministers  of  his  own  and  other  denomina- 
tions, which,  if  followed,  would  arrav  the  different 


156 

sects  of  Christians  in  hostility  against  one  another,  in- 
stead of  their  being  marshalled  in  one  common  pha- 
lanx against  their  common  enemies.     And  we  hav^ 
seen,  tiiat  in  his  unsparing  censures  against  Quaker- 
ism, he  has  hurled  his  carnal  weapons  against  "  all 
other  Arminians,"  when  he  must  know,  that  a  very- 
considerable  majority  of  professing  Christendom,  in 
the  United  States,  have  adopted  the  precise  "  Armi- 
nian  view,"  which  he   so  rudely  and  bitterly  assails. 
And  now  on  the  supposition,  that  his  course  in  this 
volume  is  capable  of  vindication,  then  each  of  us  may 
make  a  brother  "  an  offender  for  a  word,"  and  every 
evangelical  denomination  in  the  country, arrogating  to 
itself  exclusive  pretensions  to  Christianity,  may  ful- 
minate their  anathemas  against  each  other,  and  de- 
nounce all,  but  their  own  creed,  as  mystics  and  he- 
retics, denominate  all  other  ministers  "prophets  of  the 
devil,"  and  threaten  them  with  "learning  in  eternity 
that  Jesus  Christ  meant  somethinghj  hell  fire'!"    And 
if  a  flame  of  discord  and  strife  among  brethren,*  be 
thus  kindled    among   enlightened   Protestants,  what 
shall  retard  the  onward  march  of  Popery,  or  any 
other  system  of  religion,  whose  numbers  and  influ- 
ence excite  the  apprehension  of  all.     We  are  aware, 
indeed,  that  the  author  aflirms,  that  "  no  heresy  or 
forgery,  or  sorcery,  is  equal  to  the  spell  of  Quaker- 
ism," not  excepting  "  Mormonism,  Shakerism,  or  the 
recent  blasphemies   of  Matthias ;"  but  enlightened 
Protestants  will  not  be  convinced  of  this,  by  his  rav- 
ing, or  railing  cither.    Oh  !  tell  it  not  in  Papal  Rome, 
lest  the  Pope  and  his  Cardinals  celebrate  a  jubilee. 


157 

lest  the  army  of  Jesuits  triumph, — lest  hell  itself  shout 
for  the  victory. 

We  hesitate  not  at  all  to  make  the  averment,  that 
if  the  contents  of  the  volume  before  us  be  capable  of 
justification,  or  worthy  to  receive  the  countenance  of 
the  Christian  community,  then  there  are  real  points  of 
difference  in  the  creed  and   practice,  not  only  of  all 
the  evangelical   denominations    in   the  country,  but 
especially  in  the  different  divisions  of  his  own  sect,  to 
light  up,  not  merely  a  flame  of  contention  between 
them  all,  but  to  rekindle  the  fires  of  Smithfield,  and 
drive  Christianity  into  perpetual  exile,  if  not  to  blot 
out   its  very  name   from  the  nation   and  from   the 
world.     But  our  rejoicing  is  this,  that  while  the  Lord 
God  Omnipotent  reigneth.  He  has  a  people  who  have 
another  heart  in  them,  in  whom  He  has  implanted 
another  spirit,  and  that  there  are  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  genuine  Christians  in  this  land,  both  in  the 
Calvinistic  and  Arminian  churches,  who  will  not  be 
moved  by  the  furious  vituperations  of  the    author, 
either  to  persecute  the  Quakers,  for  conscience  sake, 
nor  to  disfranchise  the  pious  among  them  from  the 
courtesies  and  the  sympathies  of  the  Christian  church. 
The  author  has  suffered  a  panic  in  his  moral  nature 
by  his  abjuration  of  Quakerism,  which  can  never  in- 
fect or  communicate  itself,  except  in  an  atmosphere 
of  its   own  nature.     And   we    must  hope  that  this 
"  epidemic  of  ecclesiastics,"  of  which  he  has  suffered 
so  severe  a  paroxysm,  w411  resemble  the  small  pox, 
14 


158 

not  in  its  fatality  or  its  contagiousness,  but  in  one 
other  of  its  characteristics  ;  that  having  once  safely 
recovered  an  attack,  he  will  never  be  liable  to  take  it 
again.  If  it  has  been  as  painful  in  its  symptoms  to 
himself,  as  its  signs  have  appeared  to  others,  he  must 
deem  it  infinitely  desirable  to  have  in  his  mental  and 
physical  constitution,  an  assurance  of  future  insus- 
ceptibility, to  its  causes  and  its  influence. 

In  the  examination  of  the  system  of  Quakerism, 
to  which  this  service  has  led  us,  we  are  constrained 
to  say,  as  the  scribes  did,  of  the  great  apostle,  "  We 
find  no  evil  [or  grievous  heresy]  in  this  system  of 
Friends  ;  but  if  an  angel  or  spirit  has  spoken  to  them, 
let  us  not  fight  against  God."  And  we  would  aflfec- 
tionately  and  earnestly  commend  to  the  author,  the 
advice  of  Gamaliel,  and  as  he,  too,  was  a  doctor, 
had  in  reputation  among  all  the  people,  his  ^'fathers 
and  brethren"  who  may  approve  of  his  publication, 
will  find  the  counsel  as  profitable,  as  it  is  appropri- 
ate, "  Ye  men  of  Israel,  take  heed  to  yourselves  what 
ye  intend  to  do  touching  these  men.  And  now  I  say 
unto  you,  refrain  from  these  men,  and  let  them  alone  ; 
for,  if  this  counsel,  or  this  work  be  of  men,  it  will 
come  to  nought.  But  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  over- 
throw it,  lest  haply  ye  be  found  even  to  fight  against 
God."  Surely  he  may  now  hearken,  as  did  the  Jew- 
ish counsel,  having  already  "  beaten  them"  with 
many  stripes ; — and  by  branding  them  as  heretics, 
"  forbidden  them  to  speak  in  the  name  of  Jesus,"  he 


159 

may  now  "  let  them  go." — Acts  v.  35,  41.  And  let 
the  pious  among  Friends  every  where  imitate  the 
example  of  the  suffering  apostles  in  that  crisis,  and 
"  rejoice  that  they  are  counted  worthy  to  suffer 
shame  for  His  name,"  and  let  them  "  daily,  in  the 
temple  and  in  every  house,  cease  not  to  teach 

AND    PREACH    JeSUS    ChRIST." 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  pages,  containing  extracts  from  the 
standard  writings  of  Friends,  which  could  not  conve- 
niently be  introduced  into  the  body  of  the  work,  it  is 
thought  will  be  appropriate  in  the  form  of  a  supple- 
ment to  the  brief  notice  we  have  taken  of  this 
voluminous  work.  For  when  it  is  remembered  that 
Dr.  Cox's  book  is  an  octavo,  of  six  hundred  and 
eighty-six  pages,  it  will  be  apparent,  that  the  present 
reply  bears  but  a  very  small  comparison  in  point  of 
size,  and  by  consequence  tliere  may  be  many  topics 
of  doctrinal  importance,  which  are  either  wholly 
omitted,  or  but  briefly  noticed,  w^hen  greater  amplifi- 
cation would  have  been  desirable.  The  author,  hav- 
ing but  little  leisure,  has  been  obliged  to  study  great 
brevity  ; — and,  indeed,  being  now  at  a  distance  from 
his  relatives,  who  are  members  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  he  has  had  but  limited  sources  of  reference 
to  books,  and  but  little  access  to  the  writings  of  early 
Friends,  except  those  which  belong  to  his  own  library. 
His  acquaintance  with  Friends  in  the  city  of  New 
York  is  circumscribed,  and  hence  he  has  been  depen- 
dent mainly  upon  his  own  resources,  and  has  no 
14* 


162 


APPENDIX. 


means  of  knowing  what  reception  his  work  may  meet 
from  those,  whose  vindication  he  has  attempted.  Had 
he  consulted  them,  he  might  possibly  have  had  his 
attention  directed  to  some  points  which  they  deem 
important,  and  which  he  has  overlooked ;  and,  per- 
haps, have  obtained  more  recent  doctrinal  testimo- 
nies, than  he  has  found  accessible.  But  finding  that 
the  Society,  as  such,  obviously  intended  to  remain 
silent  with  reference  to  the  work  before  us,  sufficient 
time  having  elapsed  for  a  reply,  if  one  was  to  be  ex- 
pected from  that  source  ; — and  deeming  it  probable, 
that  if  the  leading  Friends  had  been  consulted  that 
they  would  be  adverse  to  any  notice  being  taken  of 
the  author  or  his  book,  such  a  course  was  deemed 
inexpedient. 

Moreover,  had  my  manuscript  been  submitted  to 
any  one  Friend,  I  thought  it  probable  that  he  would 
be  disappointed,  in  finding  that  I  had  not  defended 
the  system  and  its  peculiarities  throughout,  which  I 
never  designed,  and,  indeed,  which  I  could  not  do 
conscientiously ;  since,  as  I  have  already  stated,  some 
of  their  opinions  and  usages  are,  in  my  opinion,  inde- 
fensible. Indeed,  I  had  no  means  of  distinguishing 
between  members  of  the  orthodox  and  the  Hicksite 
party,  nor  yet  between  the  moderate  and  violent  par- 
tizans,  and,  of  course,  knew  not  into  whose  hands  I 
might  fall.  But  I  considered  that  a  rigid  orthodox 
Quaker  might  wish  me  to  animadvert  at  length  upon 
the  heresies  of  the  other  party  ;  while  a  rigid  Hicksite 
would  probably  complain  that  I  had  said  too  much 


APPENDIX,  163 

already.  I  determined,  therefore,  to  avail  myself  of 
my  own  resources,  and  perform  the  task  of  my  re- 
view, uninfluenced  by  either.  This  work,  therefore, 
goes  before  the  Christian  public,  without  the  direct  or 
indirect  sanction  or  permission,  of  any  man  or  set  of 
men ;  and  no  individual  or  denomination  can,  there- 
fore, be  justly  regarded  as  responsible  for  any  of  its 
contents  or  its  omissions.  This  distinct  avowal  is  due 
to  the  Friends  universal,  who  are  ignorant  of  its  con- 
tents, and  only  know  of  its  being  forthcoming,  by  the 
advertisement  which  announced  it  as  in  the  press. 

The  reader  is  probably  acquainted  with  the  fact, 
that  the  assault  made  upon  the  Quakers,  by  Dr.  Cox, 
is  not  the  first  instance  in  which  these  charges  have 
been  presented  ;  and,  indeed,  the  precise  allegations 
contained  in  his  book  may  be  found  in  the  pamphlet 
of  Rev.  B.  Hibbard,  entitled  "  Errors  of  the  Quak- 
ers ;"  and,  also,  in  the  work  of  Rev.  Dr.  Brownlee, 
of  this  city ;  although  neither  of  these  works  contain 
a  moiety  of  the  denunciation  and  abuse,  either  of  the 
system  or  its  votaries,  which  are  found  in  the  volume 
under  notice. 

But  it  should  also  be  more  generally  known  than  it 
is,  that  the  Friends,  as  a  Society,  have  long  since 
officially  denied  and  disclaimed  each  and  every  accu- 
sation contained  in  this  work  of  Dr.  Cox  ;  for  he 
brings  no  new  charge,  but  only  reiterates  for  the 
thousandth  time,  the  calumnies  which  have  been  as 
often  refuted.     Andfirst,  I  would  ask  the  attention  of 


164  APPENDIX. 

the  reader  to  the  following  official  document,  pub- 
lished as  early  as  the  year  1693 ;  when  the  slanders 
which  were   circulated  against  the  Friends  by  one 
George  Keith,  an  apostate  from  their  Society,  who 
charged  tiiem  with    "  cardinal  heresy,"  rendered  it 
necessary  for  them  to  make  a  public  declaration  of 
the  doctrines  which  they  held.     It  was  published  in 
London,   and  subsequently  in  Pennsylvania,  where 
this  Keith  had  also  propagated  his  calumnies,  to  the 
great  grief  of  the    society  in  America.     And  though 
this  "  Confession  of  Faith"  is  so  ancient,  yet  it  has 
been  recognized  in  the  recent  controversies  and  ap- 
pealed to  by  the  orthodox  party,  as  containing  their 
sentiments,  on  all  the   subjects   on  which  it  speaks. 
We  regard  it  as  worthy  of  insertion  in  this  place,  and 
therefore,  give  it  entire,  as  furnishing  in  itself  an  un- 
equivocal denial  of  every  accusation  contained  in  the 
volume  of  Dr.  Cox.     It  is  taken  from  Sewell's  His- 
tory,  vol.  11.  p.  250. 

The   Christian  Doctrine,  and  Society  of  the  people 
called  Quakers,  cleared,  <^c. 

"  Whereas,  divers  accounts  have  been  lately  published 
in  print,  of  some  late  division  and  disputes  between  some 
persons  under  the  name  of  Quakers  in  Pennsylvania, 
about  several  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith, 
(as  is  pretended  by  one  party,)  which  being  particularly 
mentioned,  and  thereupon  occasion  very  unduly  taken  by 
our  adversaries,  to  reproach  both  the  Christian  ministry, 


APPENDIX  165 

and  whole  body  of  the  people  commonly  called  Quakers, 
and  their  holy  and  Christian  profession,  both  in  England 
and  elsewhere,  though  no  ways  concerned  in  the  said 
division  or  matters  charged,  but  rather  grieved  and 
troubled  at  it,  and  at  the  indiscreet  and  reproachful  ma- 
nagement  thereof  in  print,  to  the  amusing  and  troubling 
the  world  therewith,  and  giviug^occasion  to  the  loose,  ig- 
norant, and  profane,  to  slight  and  contemn  the  truth,  and 
the  interest  of  the  tender  religion  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ : 

"  We  are,  therefore,  tenderly  concerned  for  truth's  sake 
in  behalf  of  the  said  people,  (as  to  the  body  of  them,  and 
for  all  of  them  who  are  sincere  to  God,  and  faithful  to 
their  Christian  principle  and  profession,)  to  use  our  just 
endeavors  to  remove  the  reproach,  and  all  causeless 
jealousies  concerning  us,  touching  those  doctrines  of 
Christianity,  or  any  of  them  pretended,  or  supposed,  to  be 
in  question  in  the  said  division  ;  in  relation  whereunto  we 
do  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  simplicity  and  plainness  of 
his  truth  received,  solemnly  and  sincerely  declare  what 
our  Christian  belief  and  profession  has  been,  and  still  is, 
in  respect  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God, 
his  suffering,  death,  resurrection,  glory,  light,  power, 
great  day  of  judgment,  &c. 

"  We  sincerely  profess  faith  in  God  by  his  only  begotten 
Son  Jesus  Christ,  as  being  our  light  and  life,  our  ooly 


166  APPENDIX. 

way  to  the  Father,  and  also  our  only  mediator  and  advo- 
cate with  the  Father,  (a) 

"  That  God  created  all  things,  he  made  the  worlds,  by 
his  Son  Jesus  Clirist,  he  being  that  powerful  and  living 
Word  of  God  by  whom  all  things  were  made;  (h)  and 
that  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  Holy  Spirit  are  one,  in 
Divine  Being  inseparable  ;  one  true,  living,  and  eternal 
God,  blessed  for  ever,  (c) 

"  Yet  that  this  Word,  or  Son  of  God,  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  took  flesh,  became  perfect  man,  according  to  the 
flesh,  descended  and  came  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  and 
David,  (d)  but  was  miraculously  conceived  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  (e)  And  also 
further,  declared  powerfully  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  ac- 
cording to  the  spirit  of  sanctification,  by  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  (f) 

"  That  in  the  Word,  (or  Son  of  God,)  was  life,  and  the 
same  life  was  the  light  of  men  ;  and  that  he  was  that 
true  light  which  enlightens  every  man  coming  into  the 
world  ;  (g)  and  therefore  that  men  are  to  believe  in  the 
light,  that  they  may  become  the  children  of  the  light;  (h) 
hereby  we  believe  in  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  as  he  is  the 


(a)  1  John  ii.  2.  John  xvi.  6.  1  Tim.  ii.  5.  (6)  Eph.  iii.  9.  John  i. 
I,  a,  3.  Hcb.  1.  2.  (c)  1  John  v.  7.  {d)  Rom.  i.  3,  4.  (c)  Mat.  i.  25- 
^/)  Rom.  i.  3,  4.    {g)  John  i.  4,  9.    {h)  John  xii.  36.    laa.  ii.  5. 


APPENDIX.  167 

light  and  life  within  us  ;  and  wherein  we  must  needs 
have  sincere  respect  and  honor  to,  and  believe  in  Christ, 
as  in  his  own  unapproachable  and  incomprehensible  glory 
and  fulness  :  (i)  as  he  is  the  fountain  of  life  and  light, 
and  giver  thereof  unto  us  ;  Christ  as  in  himself,  and  as 
in  us,  being  not  divided.  And  that  as  man,  Christ  died 
for  our  sins,  rose  again,  and  was  received  up  into  glory  in 
the  heavens.  (^)  He  having,  in  his  dying  for  all,  been 
that  one  great  universal  offeriiiij^,  and  sacrifice  for  peace, 
atonement  and  reconciliation  between  God  and  man  ;  (I) 
and  he  is  the  propitiation  not  for  our  sins  only,  but  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world,  (m)  We  were  reconciled  by  his 
death,  but  saved  by  his  life. 

"  That  Jesus  Christ,  who  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of 
the  throne  of  the  majesty  in  the  heavens,  yet  he  is  our 
king,  high-priest,  and  prophet,  (w)  in  his  church,  a  minis- 
ter of  the  sanctuary,  and  of  the  true  tabernacLe  which  the 
Lord  pitched,  and  not  man.  (o)  He  is  intercessor  and 
advocate  with  the  Father  in  heaven,  and  there  appearing 
in  the  presence  of  God  for  us,  (p)  being  touched  with  the 
feeling  of  our  infirmities,  sufferings  and  sorrows.  And 
also  by  his  spirit  in  our  hearts,  he  maketh  intercession 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  crying,  Abba,  Father,  (q) 

(t)  1  Tits.  vi.  16.  {k)  1  Pet.  iii.  18.  1  Tim.  iii.  16.  Mat.  xix.  28.  and 
XXV.  31.  Luke  ix.  26.  and  xxiv.  26.  (Z)  Rom.  v.  10,  11.  Heb.  ii.  17,  IS. 
Eph.  ii.  16,  17.  Col.  i.  20,  21,  22.  (m)  I  John  ii.  2.  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15. 
Heb.  ii.  9.  (n)  Zech.  ix.  9.  Luke  xix.  38.  John  xii.  15.  Heb.  iii.  1. 
Deut.  xviii.  15,  18.  Acts  iii.  22,  and  vii.  37.  (o)  Heb.  viii.  1,  2.  (p)Heb. 
vii.  25-    Heb.  ix.  24.    (?)  Rom.  viii,  26,  27,  34. 


106  APPENDIX. 

"  For  any  whom  God  hath  gifted,  (r)  and  called  sin- 
cerely to  [)rcach  fuitli  in  the  same  Christ,  both  as  within 
and  without  us,  cannot  be  to  preach  two  Christs,  but  one 
and  the  same  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (5)  having  respect  to 
those  degrees  of  our  spiritual  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
in  us,  C^)  and  to  his  own  unspeakable  fulness  and  glory,  (m) 
as  in  himself,  in  his  own  entire  being,  wherein  Christ 
himself  and  the  least  measure  of  his  light  or  life,  as  in  us 
or  in  mankind,  are  not  divided  nor  separable,  no  more 
than  the  sun  is  from  its  light.     And  as  he  ascended  far 
above  all  heavens,  that  he  might  fill    all  things,  (x)  his 
fulness  cannot  be  comprehended,   or  contained  in  any 
finite  creature  ;  (y)  but  in  some  measure  known  and  ex- 
perienced in  us,  as  we  are  capable  to  receive  the  same, 
as  of  his  fuhiess  we  have  received  grace  for  grace.   Christ 
our  Mediator,  received  the  spirit,  not  by  measure,  (z)  but 
in  fulness;  but  to  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace,  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  his  gift,  (a) 

"  That  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  should  be 
preached  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
(6)  being  one  (c)  in  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  and 
indivisible,  or  not  to  be  divided,  in  the  great  work  of  man's 
salvation. 

"  We  sincerely  confess  and  believe  in  Jesus  Christ, 


(r)  Eph.  iii.  7.  1  Pet.  iv.  10.  (.v)  1  Cor.  viii.  G.  (/)  John  xv.  26.  and 
xvi.  13,  14,  15.  (u)  John  i.  10.  (.r)  Iph.  iv.  10.  (y)  Col.  i.  19.  and  ii.  9. 
U)  John  iii.  34.  (a)  Kph.  iv.  7.  (6)  Mat.  xxviii.  19.  (c)  John  i.  1,  2,  3,  4. 


APPENDIX.  169 

both  as  he  is  true  God  and  perfect  man,  (d)  and  that  he  is 
the  author  of  our  hving  fiiiih  in  the  {jower  and  goodness 
of  God,  as  manifested  in  liisSon  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  his 
own  blessed  spirit,  or  divine  unction,  reveakxl  in  us,  (e) 
whereby  we  inwardly  feel  and  taste  of  his  goodne- ■.  (/) 
life,  and  virtue  ;  so  as  our  souls  Hve  and  prosper  1/  and 
in  him  :  and  the  inward  sense  of  this  divine  power  of 
Christ,  and  faith  in  the  same,  and  this  inwaid  experience, 
is  absoh-Uely  necessary  to  make  a  true,  sincere,  and  per- 
fect Christian,  in  spirit  and  lile. 

"  That  divine  honor  and  worship  is  due  to  the  Son  of 
God;  (g)  and  that  he  is,  in  true  faith  to  be  prayed  unto, 
and  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  called  upon,  as  the 
primitive  Ciiristiar.s  did,  (A)  because  of  the  glorious  union 
or  oneness  of  the  Father  and  the  Son;  (/)  and  that  we 
cannot  acceptably  offer  up  prayers  and  praises  to  God, 
nor  receive  a  gracifjus  answer  or  blessing  from  God,  but 
in  and  through  his  dear  Son,  Christ. 

"  That  Christ's  body  tliat  v>-as  crucified  was  not  the  god- 
head,  3^et  by  the  power  of  God  was  raised  from  the  dead  ; 
and  that  the  same  Christ  that  was  therein  crucified, 
ascended  into  heaven  and  glory,  (k)  is  not  questioned  by 


{a)  John  i.  ].9.  Rom.  ix.  5.  1  John  v.  20.  l  Tim.  ii.  5.  U)  l  John  ii. 
20.  27.  (/)  1  Pet.  ii.  3.  John  vi.  33.  35.  51.  57,  53.  (?)  John  v.  23. 
Heb.  i.  6.  {h)  I  Cor.  i.  2.  Acts  vii.  59.  (0  John  x.  30.  1  John  v, 
(k)  Luke  zxiv.  26. 

15 


170  APPENDIX. 

US.  His  flesh  saw  no  corruption,  (/)  it  did  not  corrupt ; 
but  yet  doubtless  his  body  was  changed  into  a  more  glo- 
rious (m)  and  heavenly  condition  than  it  was  in  when  sitb- 
ject  to  divers  sufferings  on  earth  ;  but  how  and  what  man- 
ner of  change  it  met  withal  after  it  was  raised  from  the 
dead,  so  as  to  become  such  a  glorious  body,  as  it  is  de- 
clared  to  be,  is  too  wonderful  for  mortals  to  conceive,  to 
apprehend  or  pry  into,  and  more  meet  for  angels  to  see  : 
the  scripture  is  silent  therein,  as  to  the  manner  thereof 
and  we  are  not  curious  to  inquire  or  dispute  it ;  nor  do  we 
esteem  it  necessary  to  make  ourselves  wise  above  (n) 
what  is  written  as  to  the  manner  or  condition  of  Christ's 
glorious  body,  as  in  heaven  ;  no  more  than  to  inquire  how 
Christ  appeared  in  divers  manners  or  forms ;  (o)  or  how 
he  came  in  among  his  disciples,  the  doors  being  shut ;  (p) 
or  how  he  vanished  out  of  their  sight  after  he  was  risen. 
However,  we  have  cause  to  believe  his  body,  as  in  heaven, 
is  changed  into  a  most  glorious  condition,  far  transcend- 
ing what  it  was  in  on  earth,  otherwise  how  could  our  low 
body  be  changed,  so  as  to  be  made  like  unto  his  glorious 
body;  (q)  for  when  he  w^as  on  earth,  and  attended  with 
sufferings,  he  was  said  to  be  like  unto  us  in  all  things,  sins 
only  excepted  ;  (r)  which  may  not  be  so  said  of  him  as 
now  in  a  state  of  glory,  as  he  prayed  for  ;  (5)  otherwise 
where  would  be  the  change  both  in  him  and  us  ? 

(t)  Psal.  xvi.  10.  Acts  ii.  31.  and  xiii.  35.  37.  (m)  Phil.  iii.  21.  {n) 
I  Cor.  iv.  6.  (o)  John  xx.  15.  {p)  John  xx.  '29.  Luke  xxiv.  36,  37,  and 
xxiv.  13.    {q)  Phil.  iii.  21.    (r)  Heb.  ii.  17,  and  iv.  15.    (s)  John  xxii.  6. 


APPENDIX.  171 

**  True  and  living  faith  in  Christ  Jesus  the  Son  of  the 
living  God,  (t)  has  respect  to  his  entire  being  and  fulness 
to  him  entirely  as  in  himself,  and  as  all  power  in  heaven 
and  earth,  is   given  unto  him  ;  (u)    and  also  an  eye  and 
respect  to  the  same  Son  of  God  (x)   as  inwardly  making 
himself  known  to  the  soul,   in  every  degree  of  his  light, 
life,  spirit,  grace,  and  truth  ;  and  as  he  is  both  the  word 
of  faith,  and  a  quickening  spirit  in  us  ;  (y)  whereby  he  is 
the  immediate  cause,  author,  object,  and  strength  of  our 
living  faith  in  his  name    and  power  ;     and  of  the  work 
of  our  salvation   from  sin  and  bondage  of   corruption  : 
and  the  Son  of  God  cannot  be  divided  from  the  least  or 
lowest  appearance  of  his  own  divine  light  or  life  in  us  or 
mankind,  no  more  than  the  sun  from  its  own  light  :  nor 
is  the  sufficiency  of  his  light  within  by  us  set  up  in  oppo- 
sition to  him  the  man  Christ,  or  his  fulness,  considered  as 
in  himself,  as  without  us  ;  nor  can  any  measure  or  degree 
of  light,  received  from  Christ,  as  such,  be  properly  called 
the  fulness  of  Christ,  or  Christ  as  in  fulness,  nor  exclude 
him,  so  considered,  from  being  our  complete  Saviour ;  for 
Christ  himself  to  be  our  light,  our  life,  and  Saviour,  (2)  is 
so   consistent,  that  without  this  light  we  could  not  know 
life,  nor  him  to  save  us  from  sin  or  deliver  us  from  dark- 
ness, condemnation   or  wrath  to  come  :    and  where  the 
least  degree  or  measure  of  this  light  and  life  of  Christ 


(0  John  xvi.  1.  {u)  Mat.  xxviii.  13,  aadxi.  27.  John  xvii.  2.  Heb.  ii.  8. 
U)  John  xiv.  23,  and  xvii.  21,  22,  23,  24,  26.  {y)  I  Cor.  xv.  45.  Rom.  x 
7,  8.    {z)  John  i.  4.  9.  and  iii.  19,  20,  and  xii.  35,  36,  46,  and  viii.  12' 


172  APPENDIX. 

within  is  sincerely  waited  in,  followed  and  obeyed  ;  there 
is  a  blessed  nicrcase  of  li^^bl  and  grace  known  and  felt ; 
as  the  palli  of  the  just  it  shines  more  and  more,  until  the 
perfect  day  ;  (a)  and  thereby  a  growing  in  grace,  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  God,  and  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ,  hath  been,  and  is  truly  experienced.  And  this 
light,  life,  or  spirit  of  Christ  v.ithin,  (for  they  are  one  di- 
vine principle,)  is  sufficient  to  lead  unto  all  truth  ;  having 
in  it  the  divers  ministrations  both  of  judgment  and  mercy, 
both  of  law  and  gospel,  even  that  gospel  which  is  preached 
in  every  intelligent  creature  under  heaven  :  it  does  not 
only,  as  in  its  first  ministration,  manifest  sin,  and  reprove 
and  condemn  for  sin ;  but  also  excites  and  leads  them 
that  believe  in  it  to  true  repentance  ;  and  thereupon  to 
receive  that  mercy,  pardon,  and  redemption  in  Christ 
Jesus,  which  he  hath  obtained  for  mankind  in  those  gospel 
terms  of  faith  in  his  name,  true  repentance  and  conversion 
to  Christ,  thereby  required. 

"So  that  the  light  and  life  of  the  Son  of  God  within, 
truly  obeyed  and  foUov.  ed,  as  being  the  principle  of  the 
second  or  new  covenant,  as  Christ  the  light  is  confessed 
to  be,  even  as  he  is  tlie  seed  or  word  of  faith  in  all  men, 
this  docs  not  leave  men  or  women,  who  believe  in  the 
light,  under  the  first  covenant,  nor  as  the  sons  of  the  bond- 
woman, as  the   literal  Jews  were,  when   gone   from  the 


{a)  Prov.  iv.  18.    Psal.  xxxvi.  9. 


APPENDIX.  173 

Spirit  of  God,  and  his  Christ  in  them  ;  but  it  naturally 
leads  them  into  the  new  covenant,  in  the  new  and  living 
way,  and  to  the  adoption  of  sons,  to  be  children  and  sons 
of  the  freewoman,  of  Jerusalem  from  above. 

"  It  is  true,  that  we  ought  not  to  lay  aside,  nor  any  way 
to  undervalue,  but  higlily  to  esteem,  true  preaching  and 
the  Holy  Scriptures ;  and  the  sincere  belief  and  faith  of 
Christ,  as  he  died  for  our  sins,  and  rose  again  for  our  jus- 
tification ;  together  with  Christ's  inward  and  spiritual  ap- 
pearance, and  work  of  grace  in  the  soul  ;  livingly  to  open 
the  mystery  of  his  death,  and  perfectly  to  effect  our  re- 
conciliation, sanctification,  and  justification  ;  and  wherever 
Christ  qualifies  and  calls  any  to  preach  and  demonstrate 
the  mystery  of  his  coming,  death,  and  resurrection,  &;c., 
even  among  the  Gentiles,  Christ  ought  accordingly  to  be 
both  preached,  believed,  and  received. 

"  Yet  supposing  there  have  been,  or  are  such  pious  and 
conscientious  Gentiles,  in  whom  Christ  was  and  is  as  the 
seed  or  principle  of  the  second  or  new  covenant,  the  light, 
the  word  of  faith,  as  is  granted  ;  and  that  such  live  up- 
rightly and  faithfully  to  that  light  they  have,  or  to  what  is 
made  known  of  God  in  them,  and  who  therefore  in  that 
state  cannot  perish,  but  shall  be  saved,  as  is  also  con- 
fessed ;  and  supposing  these  have  not  the  outward  advan- 
tage  of  preaching,  scripture,  or  thence  the  knowledge  of 
Christ's  outward  coming,  being  outwardly  crucified  and 
15* 


174  APPENDIX. 

risen  from  the  dead  ;  can  such,  thus  considered,  be  justly 
excluded  Christianity,  or  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  to  the 
virtue,  life,  and  nature  thereof,  or  truly  deemed  no  Chris- 
tians, or  void  of  any  Christian  faith  in  the  life  and  power 
of  the  Son  of  God  within,  or  be  only  sons  of  the  first  cove- 
nant, and  bond-woman,  like  the  literal  outside  Jews ;  or 
must  all  be  excluded  any  true  knowledge  or  faith  of 
Christ  within  them,  unless  they  have  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  as  without  them  ?  No  sure  !  for  that  would  imply  in- 
sufficiency in  Christ  and  his  light,  as  within  them,  and  to 
frustrate  God's  good  end  and  promise  of  Christ,  and  his  free 
and  universal  love  and  grace  to  mankind,  in  sending  his 
Son.  We  charitably  believe  the  contrary,  that  they  must 
have  some  true  taith  and  interest  in  Christ  and  his  medi- 
ation, because  of  God's  free  love  in  Christ  to  all  mankind 
and  Christ's  dying  for  all  men,  (b)  and  being  given  for  a 
light  of  the  Gentiles,  and  for  salvation  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  ;  (c)  and  because  of  their  living  up  sincerely  and 
faithfully  to  his  light  in  them — their  being  pious,  con- 
scientious, accepted  and  saved,  as  is  granted.  We  can- 
not reasonably  tliink  a  sincere,  pious,  or  godly  man, 
wholly  void  of  Christianity,  or  what  nation  soever  he  be, 
because  none  can  come  to  God  or  godliness  but  by  Christ 
(c7)  by  his  light  and  grace  in  them  :  yet  we  grant  if  there 
be  such  pious,  sincere  men  or  women,  as  have  not  the 
scripture  or  knowledge  of  Christ,  as  outwardly   crucified. 


(6)  2  Cor.  V.  14,  15.     (c)  Isa.  xlix.  6.      Luke  ii.  32.     Acts  xiii.  47. 
{(I)  John  xiv.  C. 


APPENDIX.  175 

<fec.  they  are  not  perfect  Christians  in  all  perfection,  as 
in  all  knowledge  and  understanding,  all  points  of  doctrine 
outward  profession  of  Christ ;  so  that  they  are  better  than 
they  profess  or  pretend  to  be  ;  they  are  more  Jews  inward, 
and  Christians  inward,  than  in  outward  show  or  profes- 
sion. These  are  Christians  sincere  and  perfect  in  kind 
or  nature,  in  life  and  substance,  though  not  in  knowledge 
and  understanding.  A  man  or  woman  having  the  life  and 
fruits  of  true  Christianity,  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
in  them,  that  can  talk  little  thereof,  or  of  creeds,  points,  or 
articles  of  faith,  yea  many  that  cannot  read  letters,  yet 
may  be  true  Christians  in  spirit  and  life  ;  and  some  could 
die  for  Christ,  that  could  not  dispute  for  him  ;  and  even 
infants  that  die  in  innocency,  are  not  excluded  the  grace 
of  God,  or  salvation  in  and  by  Christ  Jesus,  the  image 
and  nature  of  the  Son  of  God,  being  in  some  measure  in 
them,  and  they  under  God's  care  and  special  Providence. 
See  Mat  xviii.  2.  10. 

"  And  though  we  had  the  holy  scriptures  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testament,  and  a  belief  of  Christ  crucified  and 
risen,  &c.,  we  never  truly  knew  the  mystery  thereof,  until 
we  were  turned  to  the  light  of  his  grace  and  spirit  within 
us:  we  knew  not  what  it  was  to  be  reconciled  by  his 
death,  and  saved  b}-^  his  life  ;  or  what  it  was  to  know  the 
fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  the  power  of  his  resurrection, 
or  to  be  made  conformable  unto  his  death,  we  knew  not, 
until  he  opened  our  eyes,  and  turned  our  minds  from  dark- 
ness unto  his  own  divine  life  and  light  within  us. 


176  APPENDIX. 

"  Notwithstanding,  we  do  sincerely  and  greatly  value 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  preaching  and  teaching  of  faithful, 
divinely  inspired,  gitled^  and  qualified  persons,  and  mi- 
nisters of  Jesus  Christ,  as  being  great  outward  helps,  and 
instrumental  in  his  liand,  and  by  his  spirit,  for  conversion, 
where  God  is  pleased  to  afford  those  outward  helps  and 
means  ;  as  that  we  neither  do  nor  may  oppose  the  suffi- 
ciency of  the  light  or  Spirit  of  Christ  within,  to  such  out- 
ward helps  or  means,  so  as  to  reject,  dis-esteem,  or  under- 
value them  ;  for  they  all  proceed  from  the  same  light  and 
spirit,  and  tend  to  turn  men's  minds  thereunto,  and  all 
centre  therein. 

"  Nor  can  the  Holy  Scriptures  or  true  preaching  with- 
out, be  justly  set  in  opposition  to  the  lighter  Spirit  of  God 
or  Christ  within  ;  for  his  faithful  messengers  are  ministers 
thereof,  being  sent  to  turn  people  to  the  same  light  and 
spirit  in  tliem,  Acts  xxvi.  18.  Rom.  xiii.  2.  2  Cor.  iv.  6. 
1  Pet.  ii.  9.     1  Johnii.  8. 

"  It  is  certain,  that  great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness  in 
if^clf,  in  its  own  being  and  excellency :  namely,  that  God 
should  be  and  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the 
spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed 
on  in  the  world,  and  received  up  into  glory. 

"  And  it  is  a  great  and  precious  mystery  of  godliness 
and  Christianity  also,  that  Christ  should  be  spiritually  and 


APPENDIX.  177 

effectually  in  men's  hearts,  to  save  and  deliver  them  from 
sin,  satan,  and  bondar]je  of  corruption,  Christ  being  thus 
revealed  in  true  believers,  and  dwelling  in  their  hearts  by 
faith,  Christ  within  the  hope  of  glory,  our  light  and  life, 
who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness,  sane 
tification,  and  redemption,  1  Cor.  i.  80.  And  therefore  this 
mystery  of  godliness,  but  as  in  its  own  being  and  glory, 
and  also  as  in  men,  (in  many  hid,  and  in  some  revealed,) 
hath  been  and  must  be  testified,  preached,  and  believed  ; 
where  God  is  pleased  to  give  commission,  and  prepare 
people's  hearts  for  the  same,  and  not  in  man's  will. 

"  Concerning  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  the 
great  day  of  judgment  yet  to  come,  beyond  the  grave,  or 
after  death,  and  Christ's  coming  without  us,  to  judge  the 
quick  ai^d  the  dead,  (as  divers  questions  are  put  in  such 
terms,)  what  the  Holy  Scriptures  plainly  declare  and  tes- 
tify in  these  matters,  we  have  great  reason  to  credit,  and 
not  to  question,  and  have  been  always  ready  to  embrace, 
with  respect  to  Christ  and  his  apostles  own  testimony  and 
prophecies. 

"  1.  For  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  ;  if  in  this 
life  only  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men  the 
most  miserable,  1  Cor.  xv.  19.  We  sincerely  believe, 
not  only  a  resurrection  in  Christ  from  the  fallen  sinful 
state  here,  but  a  rising  and  ascending  into  glory  with  him 
hereafter  ;  that  when  he  at  last  appears,  we  may  appear 
with  him  in  glory.  Col.  iii.  4.     1  John  iii.  2. 


1 78  APPENDIX. 

"  But  that  all  the  wicked  who  live  in  rebellion  against 
the  light  of  grace,  and  die  finally  im|)enitent,  shall  come 
forth  to  the  resurrection  of  condemnation. 

**  And  that  the  soul  or  spirit  of  every  man  and  woman 
shall  be  reserved  in  its  own  distinct  and  proper  being,  (so 
as  there  shall  be  as  many  souls  in  the  world  to  come  as 
in  this,)  and  every  seed,  yea  every  soul  shall  have  its 
proper  body,  as  God  is  pleased  to  give  it,  1  Cor.  xv.  A 
natural  body  is  sown,  a  spiritual  body  is  raised  ;  that  being 
first  which  is  natural,  and  afterward  that  which  is  spiritual. 
And  though  it  is  said,  this  corruptible  shall  put  on  incorrup- 
tion,  and  this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality  ;  the  change 
shall  be  such  as  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  king- 
dom of  God,  neither  doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption. 
1  Cor.  XV.  We  shall  be  raised  out  of  all  corruption  and 
corruptibility,  out  of  all  mortality  ;  and  the  children  of 
God  and  of  the  resurrection,  shall  be  equal  to  the  angels 
of  God  inhc-aven.  (e) 

"  And  as  the  celestial  bodies  do  fiir  excel  terrestrial,  so 
we  expect  our  spiritual  bodies  in  the  resurrection  shall 
far  excel  what  our  bodies  now  are  ;  and  we  hope  that 
none  can  justly  blame  us  for  thus  expecting  better  bodies 
than  now  they  are.  Howbeit,  we  esteem  it  very  unneces- 
sary to    dispute  or  question  how  the  dead  arc  raised,  or 

(c)  Mat.  xxii.  30.    Mark  xii.  25.    Luke  xx.  3G. 


APPENDIX.  179 

with  what  body  they  come  :  but  rather  submit  that  to  the 
wisdom  and  pleasure  of  the  Almighty  God. 

2.  For  the  doctrine  of  eternal  judgment : 

"  God  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  and  he  is  both  judge  of  quick  and  dead,  and  of  the 
states  and  ends  of  all  mankind,  John  v.  22.  27.  Acts  x. 
42.     2Tim.  iv.  1.     1  Pet.  iv.  5. 

"  That  there  shall  be  hereafter  a  great  harvest,  which 
is  the  end  of  the  world,  a  great  day  of  judgment,  and  the 
judgment  of  that  great  day  the  Holy  Scripture  is  clear, 
Mat.  xiii.  39,  40,  41.  ch.  x.  15.  and  xi.  24.  Jude  6. 
"  When  the  Son  of  Man  cometh  in  his  glory,  and  all  the 
holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne 
of  his  glory,  and  before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations, 
&;c."  Matt.  XXV.  31,  32,  to  the  end  compared  with  ch. 
xxii.  31.  Mark  viii.  38.  Luke  ix.  26,  and  1  Cor.  xv.  52. 
2  Thes.  i.  7,  8,  to  the  end,  and  1  Thes.  iv.  16.  Rev.  xx. 
12,  13,  14,  15. 

"  That  this  blessed  heavenly  man,  this  Son  of  Man, 
who  hath  so  deeply  suffered  tind  endured  so  many  great 
indignities  and  persecutions  from  his  adversaries,  both  to 
himself  and  his  members  and  brethren,  should  at  last, 
even  in  the  last  and  great  day,  signally  and  manifestly 
appear  in  glory  and  triumph,  attended  with  all  his  glo- 


180  APPENDIX. 

rioiis  heavenly  host  and  retinue  before  all  nations,  before 
all  his  enemies,  and  thosolluit  liuve  denied  him  ;  tliis  will 
be  to  their  great  terror  and   amazement,  that  this  most 
glorious  heavenly  man,  and  his  brethren,  that  have  been 
so  much  contemned  and  set  at  naught,  should  be  thus  ex- 
alted over  their  enemies  and   persecutors,  in  glory  and 
triumph,  is  a  righteous  tiling  with  God  ;  and  that  they  that 
suffer  with  him,  should  appear  with  him  in  glory  and  dig- 
nity when  he  thus  appears  at  last.     Christ  was  judge  of 
the  world,  and  the  prince  thereof,  when  on  earth,  John 
ix.  39.  and  xii.  31.     He  is  still  judge  of  the  world,  the 
wickedness,  and  prince  thereof,  by  his  light,  spirit,  and 
gospel  in  men's  hearts  and  consciences,  John  xvi.  8.  11. 
Matt.  xii.  20.     Isa.  xlii.  1.     Rom.  ii.  16.     1  Pet.  iv.  6. 
And  he  will  be  the  judge  and  final  determiner  thereof  in 
that  great  day  appointed ;  God  having  appointed  a  day 
wherein  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness  by  that 
man  whom  he  hath  ordained.     Christ  foretold  it  shall  be 
more  tolerable  for  them  of  the  land  of  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  that  city  or  people  that 
would  not  receive  his  messengers  or  ministers,  &c.,  Matt. 
X.  15.  and  see  chap.  xi.  24    and  Mark  vi.  11.     Luke  x. 
12.  14.     It  is  certain  that  God  knows  how  to  deliver  the 
godly  out  of  all  their  trials  and  afflictions,  and  at  last  to 
bring  them  forth,  and  raise  them  up  into  glory  with  Christ  ; 
so  he  knowcth  also  how  to  reserve  the  unjust  and  finally 
impenitent  unto  the  day  of  judgment  to  be  punished, 
2  Ppt,  ii   9,     He  will  bring  them  forth  unto  the  day  of 


APPENDIX.  181 

destruction,  Job.  xxi.  30.  The  Lord  can  and  will  reserve 
such  impenitent,  presumptuous,  and  rebellious  criminals, 
as  bound  under  chains  of  darkness,  as  were  the  IhUen  an- 
gels, unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day,  Jude  6.  Matt. 
XXV.  30.  It  is  not  for  us  to  determine  or  dispute  the  man- 
ner how  they  shall  be  so  reserved  ;  but  leave  it  to  God  ; 
he  knows  how.' 

A  Postscript  relating  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Resurrection 
and  eternal  Judgment. 

"  At  the  last  trump  of  God,  and  the  voice  of  the  arch- 
angel, the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  the  dead  in 
Christ  shall  rise  first,  1  Cor.  xv.  52.  1  Thes.  iv.  16. 
compared  with  Matt.  xxiv.  31. 

"  Many  are  often  alarmed  in  conscience  here  by  the 
word  and  voice  of  God,  who  stop  their  ears  and  slight 
those  warnings,  but  the  great  and  final  alarm  of  the  last 
trumpet,  they  cannot  stop  their  ears  against,  nor  escape, 
it  will  unavoidably  seize  upon,  and  further  awaken  them 
finally  to  judgment.  They  that  will  not  be  alarmed  in 
their  consciences,  unto  repentance,  nor  out  of  their  sins 
here,  must  certainly  be  alarmed  to  judgment  hereafter. 

"  Whosoever   do  now  wilfully  shut  their  eyes,  hate, 

contemn,  or  shun  the  light  of  Christ,  or  his  appearance 

within,  shall  at  last  be  made  to  see,  and  not  be  able  to  shun 

or  hide  themselves  from  his  glorious  and  dreadful  ap- 

16 


182  APPENDIX. 

pearance  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  as  with 
lightning  and  flaming  lire,  to  render  vengeance  on  all 
them  that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  1  Thes.  iv.  16.  Matt.  xxiv.  27. 
Luke  xvii.  24.     Dan.  x.  6.     Job  xxxvii.  3. 

"  And  though  many  now  evade  and  reject  the  inward 
convictions  and  judgment  of  the  liglit,  and  shut  up  the 
records  or  books  thereof  in  their  own  consciences,  they 
shall  be  at  last  opened,  and  every  one  judged  of  these 
things  recorded  therein,  according  to  their  works.  Rev. 
XX.  12, 13,  14,  15. 

"  Signed  in  behalf  of  our  Christian  profession 
and  people  aforesaid, 

George  Whitehead, 
Ambrose  Rigge, 
William  Fallowfield, 
Ja3ies  Parke, 
Charles  Marshall, 
John  Bowater, 
John  Vaughtoiv, 
WiLLiA3i  Bingley." 

Sewell  next  goes  on  to  say,  that  this  publication 
gave  general  satisfaction,  not  only  in  England  and 
America,  but  in  Holland  also,  where  it  was  printed 
in  Dutch.  Soon  after,  Francis  Bugg,  another  "  en- 
vious apostate,"  as  he  is  called  by  Scwell,  "  charged 
the  Quakers  with  some  Socinian  notions,  and  being 


APPENDIX.  183 

set  on  by  some  churchmen,  endeavored  also  to  ren- 
der them  odious  with  the  government.  It  then  be- 
came necessary  to  pubHsh  the  following  "  Confession 
of  Faith,"  signed  by  Geo.  Whitehead,  and  thirty 
other  Friends,  which  utterly  confounded  their  calum- 
niators, and  this  confession  is  also  approved  of  hear- 
tily by  the  Friends,  called  orthodox  in  America. 

Be  it  known  to  all,  that  we  sincerely  believe  and 
confess. 

"  I.  That  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  was  born  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  is  the  true  Messiah,  the  very  Christ,  the 
Son  of  tlx.'  living  God,  to  whom  all  the  prophets  gave  wit- 
ness :  and  that  wc  do  highly  value  his  death,  sufferings, 
works,  offices,  and  merits  for  the  redemption  of  mankind, 
together  with  his  laws,  doctrine,  and  ministry. 

"  II.  That  this  very  Christ  of  God,  who  is  the  Lamb  of 
God  that  takes  av/ay  the  sins  of  the  world,  was  slain,  was 
dead,  and  is  alive,  and  lives  for  ever  in  his  divine,  eternal 
glory,  dominion,  and  power  with  the  Father. 

"  III.  That  the  holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  are  of  divine  authority,  as  being  given  by  the 
inspiration  of  God. 

"  IV.  And  that  magistracy  or  civil  government,  is 
God's  ordinance,  the  good  ends  thereof  being  for  the 
punishment  of  evil-doers,  and  praise  of  them  that  do 
well." 


184  APPENDIX. 

The  conclusion  of  Barclay's  Apology,  being  in  itself 
a  refutation  of  all  the  doctrinal  accusations  of  the 
author,  is  hero  inserted,  and  commended  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  candid  reader. 

Conclusion, 

If  in  God's  fear  candid  reader,  thou  appliest  thyself  to 
ponsider  this  system  of  religion  here  delivered,  with  its 
consistency  and  harmony,  as  well  in  itself  as  with  the 
scriptures  of  truth,  I  doubt  not  but  thou  wilt  say 
with  me  and  many  more,  that  this  is  the  spiritual  day  of 
Christ's  appearance,  wherein  he  is  again  revealing  the 
ancient  paths  of  truth  and  righteousness.  '"Yor  thou 
mayest  observe  here  the  Christian  religion  in  all  its  parts 
truly  established  and  vindicated,  as  it  is  a  living,  inward, 
spiritual,  pure,  and  substantial  thing,  and  not  a  mere  form, 
show,  shadow,  notion,  and  opinion,  as  too  many  have 
hitherto  held  it,  whose  fruits  declare  they  v/anted  that 
which  they  bear  the  name  of;  and  yet  many  of  those  are 
so  in  love  with  their  empty  forms  and  shadows,  that  they 
cease  not  to  calumniate  us  for  commending  and  calling 
them  to  the  substance,  as  if  we  therefore  denied  or  neglect- 
ed  the  true  form  and  outward  part  of  Clu'istinnity,  [which 
indeed  is,  as  God  the  searcher  of  hearts  knows,  a  very 
great  slander.  Thus  because  we  have  desired  people 
earnestly  to  feci  after  God  near  and  in  themselves,  telling 
them  tliat  their  notions  of  God,  as  he  is  beyond  the  clouds, 
will  little  avail  them,  if  they  do  not  feel  him  near  ;  honce 


APPENDIX.  185 

ihey  have  sought  maliciously  to  infer  that  we  deny  any 
God  except  that  v/hich  is  within  us.  Because  we  tell 
people,  that  it  is  the  light  and  law  within,  and  not  the 
letter  without,  that  can  truly  tell  them  their  condition,  and 
lead  them  out  of  all  evil ;  hence  they  say,  we  vilify  the 
scriptures,  and  set  up  our  own  imaginations  above  them. 
Because  we  tell  them,  that  it  is  not  their  talking  or  believ- 
ing of  Christ's  outward  life,  sufferings,  death,  and  resur- 
rection, no  more  than  the  Jews  crying,  the  temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  that  will  serve  their  turn, 
or  justify  them  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  but  that  they  must 
know  Christ  in  them,  whom  they  have  crucified,  to  be 
raised,  and  to  justify  them  and  redeem  them  from  their 
iniquities ;  hence  they  say,  we  deny  the  life,  death,  and 
sufferings  of  Christ,  justification  by  his  blood,  and  remis- 
sion  of  sins  through  him.  Because  we  tell  them,  while 
they  are  talking  and  determining  about  the  resurrection, 
that  they  have  more  need  to  know  the  Just  One,  whom 
they  have  slain,  raised  in  themselves,  and  to  be  sure  they 
are  partakers  of  the  first  resurrection  ;  and  that  if  this  be 
they  will  be  the  more  capable  to  judge  of  the  second  ; 
hence  they  say,  that  we  deny  the  resurrection  of  the  body. 
Because  when  we  hear  them  talk  foolishly  of  heaven  and 
hell,  and  the  last  judgment,  we  exhort  them  to  come  out 
of  that  hellish  condition  they  are  in,  and  come  down  to  the 
judgment  of  Christ  in  their  own  hearts,  and  believe  in  the 
light,  and  follow  it,  that  so  they  may  come  to  sit  in  the 
heavenly  places  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus  :  hence  they  ma- 
16* 


186  APPENDIX. 

liciously  say,  that  we  deny  any  heaven  or  hell  but  that 
which  is  within  us,  and  that  we  deny  any  general  judg- 
ment ;  wliich  slanders  the  Lord  knows  arc  foully  cast 
upon  us,  whom  God  hatli  raised  for  this  end,  and  gathered 
us,  that  by  us  he  might  confound  the  wisdom  of  the  wise, 
and  bring  to  nought  the  understanding  of  the  prudent ; 
and  might,  in  and  by  his  own  Spirit  and  power  in  a  des- 
pised  people  (that  no  flesh  might  glory  in  his  presence) 
pull  down  that  dead,  dark,  corrupt  image,  and  mere  sha- 
dow.ac^d  shell  of  Christianity,  wherewith  Antichrist  hath 
deceived  the  nations  :  for  which  end  he  hath  called  us  to 
be  the  first-fruits  of  those  that  serve  him,  and  worship  him 
no  more  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter,  but  in  the  newness  of 
the  Spirit.     And  though  we  be  few  in  number,  in  respect 
of  others,  and  weak  as  to  outward  strength,  which  we  also 
altogether  reject,  and  foolish  if  compared  with  the  wise 
ones  of  this  world  ;  yet  as  God  hath  prospered  us,  not- 
withstanding  much  opposition,  so  will  he  yet  do,  that  nei- 
ther the  art,  wisdom,  nor  violence  of  men  or  devils  shall 
be  able  to  quench  that  little  spark  that  hath  appeared  ;  but 
it  shall  grow  to  the  consuming  of  whatsoever  shall  stand 
up  to  oppose  it.     The  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it! 
yea,  he  that   hath  arisen  in  a  small  remnant  shall  arise 
and  go  on  by  the  same  arm  of  power  in  his  spiritual  ma- 
nifestation, until  he  hath  conquered  all  his  enemies,  until 
all  the  kingdoms   of  the  earth  become  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  Jesus. 


APPENDIX.  187 

"  Unto  Him  that  hath  begun  this  work,  not  among 
the  rich  or  great  ones,  but  among  the  poor  and 
small,  and  hath  revealed  it  not  to  the  wise  and 
learned,  but  unto  the  poor,  unto  babes  and  suck- 
lings ;  even  to  him,  the  Only-wise  and  Omni- 
potent GOD,  be  honorj  glory,  thanksgiving,  and 
renown,  from  henceforth  and  for  ever.  Amen, 
Hallelu-JAH." 


And  finally,  as  that  great  and  good  man,  Wm. 
Penn,  seems  especially  to  have  incurred  this  author's 
displeasure,  calling  him  "  Unitarian,"  and  other  re- 
proachful names,  the  following  brief  notice  of  this 
exemplary  Christian,  patriot,  and  philosopher,  may 
not  be  inappropriate.  It  is  recorded  of  him,  that  in 
the  government  of  his  family,  he  was  scrupulously 
exact,  making  his  religion  a  prominent  feature  in  his 
household  economy,  "  his  whole  family  being  assem- 
bled three  times  a  day  for  worship,  when  some  por- 
tion of  the  Holy  Scriptures  was  read."  While  he 
was  the  acting  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  it  is  related 
of  him  that, 

"  He  was  at  a  place  Called  Merion,  where  he  passed 
one  night :  ahoy,  about  twelve  years  old,  son  of  the  per- 
son at  whose  house  he  lodged,  being  a  lad  of  curiosity, 
and  not  often  seeing  such  a  guest  as  William  Penn,  pri- 
vately crept  to  the  chamber  door  up  a  flight  of  steps  on 


188  APPENDIX. 

the  outside  of  the  building.  On  peeping  through  the 
latchet-hole,  he  was  struck  with  awe,  in  beholding  this 
great  man  uprjn  his  knees  by  the  bed-side,  and  in  hearing 
what  he  said  ;  for  he  could  distinctly  hear  him  in  prayer 
and  thanksgiving,  that  he  was  then  provided  for  in  the 
wilderness.  This  circumstance  made  an  impression 
upon  the  lad's  mind,  which  was  not  effaced  in  old  age." 

Such  may  be  regarded  as  a  specimen  of  his  pri- 
vate life,  and,  as  has  been  well  said  of  his  public 
character,  he 

"Had  the  success  of  a  conqueror,  in  establishing  and 
defending  his  colony  among  savage  tribes,  without  ever 
drawing  the  sword  ;  the  goodness  of  the  most  benevolent 
rulers,  in  treating  his  subjects  as  his  own  children  ;  and 
the  tenderness  of  a  universal  father,  who  opened  his  arms 
to  all  mankind,  without  distinction  of  sect  or  party.  In  his 
republic,  it  was  not  the  religious  creed,  but  personal  merit, 
that  entitled  every  member  of  society  to  the  protection 
and  emoluments  of  the  state." 

But  the  following  maxims  of  this  deservedly  great 
man,  are  extracted  from  a  little  work,  entitled  "Fruits 
of  Solitude,  in  Reflections  and  jMaxims,  relating  to 
the  Conduct  of  Human  Life  ;  and  Fruits  of  a  Father's 
Love  :  being  Advice  to  his  Children,  relating  to  their 
civil  and  religious  conduct." — By  William  Penn, 


APPENDIX.  189 

Religion. 

"  Religion  is  the  fear  of  God,  and  its  demonstration 
good  works  ;  and  faith  is  the  root  of  both  :  '  For  without 
faith  we  cannot  please  God  ;'  nor  can  we  fear  what  we  do 
not  believe. 

"The  devils  also  believe  and  know  abundance  ;  but  in 
this  is  the  difference,  their  faith  works  not  by  love,  nor 
their  knowledge  by  obedience  ;  and  therefore  they  are 
never  the  better  for  them.  And  if  ours  be  such,  we  shall 
be  of  their  church,  not  of  Christ's  ;  for  as  the  head  is,  so 
must  the  body  be. 

"  He  was  holy,  humble,  harmless,  meek,  merciful,  &c., 
when  among  us  ;  to  teach  us  what  we  should  be  when  he 
was  gone  ;  and  yet  he  is  among  us  still,  and  in  us  too,  a 
living  and  perpetual  preacher  of  the  same  grace,  by  his 
spirit  in  our  consciences. 

"  A  minister  of  the  gospel  ought  to  be  one  of  Christ's 
making,  if  he  would  pass  for  one  of  Christ's  ministers. 

"  And  if  he  be  one  of  his  making,  he  knows  and  does, 
as  well  as  believes. 

*'  That  minister,  whose  life  is  not  the  model  of  his  doc 
trine,  is  a  babbler  rather  than  a  preacher,  a  quack  rather 
than  a  physician  of  value. 


1 90  APPENDIX. 

"  Of  old  time,  they  were  made  ministers  by  the  Holy 
Ghost :  and  the  more  that  is  an  ingredient  now,  the  fitter 
they  are  for  that  work. 

*•  Running  streams  are  not  so  apt  to  corrupt  as  stagnant 
waters  ;  nor  itinerant,  as  settled  preachers  ;  but  they  are 
not  to  run  before  they  are  sent. 

"  As  they  freely  receive  from  Christ,  so  they  give. 

"  They  will  not  make  that  a  trade,  which  they  know 
ought  not,  in  conscience,  to  be  one. 

"  Yet  there  is  no  fear  of  their  living,  that  design  not  to 
live  by  it. 

"  The  humble  and  true  teacher  meets  with  more  than 
he  expects. 

"  lie  accounts  content  with  godliness  great  gain,  and 
therefore  seeks  not  to  make  a  gain  of  godliness. 

"  As  the  ministers  of  Christ  are  made  by  him,  and  are 
like  him,  so  ihcy  beget  people  into  the  same  likeness. 

"  To  be  like  Christ,  then,  is  to  be  a  Christian.  And 
regeneration  is  the  only  way  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  which 
we  pray  for. 

"  Let  us  to  day,  therefore,  hear  his  voice,  and  not  har- 


APPENDIX.  191 

den  our  hearts  who  speaks  to  us  many  ways  :  in  the  scrip- 
tures, in  our  hearts,  by  his  servants  and  providences  ;  and 
the  sum  of  all  his  hohness,  and  charity. 

"  St.  James  gives  a  short  draught  of  the  matter,  but 
very  full  and  teaching  :  '  Pure  religion,  and  undefiled  be- 
fore God  the  Father,  is  this,  to  visit  the  fatherless  and  the 
widows  in  their  afflictions,  and  to  keep  ourselves  unspotted 
from  the  world ;'  which  is  comprised  in  these  two  words, 
charity  and  piety. 

"  They  that  truly  make  these  their  aim,  will  find  them 
their  attainment ;  and,  with  them,  the  peace  that  follows 
so  excellent  a  condition. 

"  Amuse  not  thyself,  therefore,  with  the  numerous  opi- 
nions  of  the  world  ;  nor  value  thyself  upon  verbal  ortho. 
doxy,  philosophy,  or  thy  skill  in  tongues,  or  knowledge  of 
the  fathers ;  (too  much  the.  business  and  vanity  of  the 
world)  but  in  this  rejoice,  '  That  thou  knowest  God,  that 
is  the  Lord,  who  exerciseth  loving  kindness,  and  judg- 
ment, and  righteousness  in  the  earth.' 

"  Public  worship  is  very  commendable,  if  well  pe'r- 
formed.  We  owe  it  to  God  and  good  example.  But  we 
must  know,  that  God  is  not  tied  to  time  or  place,  who  is 
every  where  at  the  same  time ;  and  this  we  shall  know 
as  far  as  we  are  capable,  if,  wherever  we  are,  our  desires 
are  to  be  with  him. 


1102  APPENDIX. 

"  Serving  God,  people  generally  confine  to  the  acts  of 
public  and  private  worship ;  and  those  tiie  more  zealous 
do  often  repeat,  in  hopes  of  acceptance. 

"  But  if  we  consider  that  God  is  an  infinite  spirit,  and 
as  such,  every  where  ;  and  that  our  Saviour  luis  taught  us, 
that  he  will  be  worshipped  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  we  shall 
see  the  shortness  of  such  a  notion. 

"  For  serving  God  concerns  the  frame  of  our  spirits,  in 
the  whole  course  of  our  lives  ;  in  every  occasion  we  have, 
in  which  we  may  show  our  love  to  his  law. 

"  For  as  men  in  battle  are  continually  in  the  way  of 
shot,  so  we  in  this  v/orld,  are  ever  within  the  reach  of 
temptation ;  and  herein  do  v/e  serve  God,  if  we  avoid 
what  we  are  forbid,  as  well  as  do  what  he  commands. 

"  God  is  belter  served  in  resisting  a  temptation  to  evil, 
than  in  many  formal  prayers. 

"  This  is  but  twice  or  thrice  a  day ;  but  that  every  hour 
and  moment  of  the  day.  So  much  more  is  our  continual 
watch,  than  our  evening  and  morning  devotion. 

"  Wouldst  thou  then  serve  God  ?  Do  not  that  alone, 
which  thou  wouldst  not  that  another  should  see  thee  do. 

"  Do  not  take  God's  name  in  vain,  nor  disobey  thy  pa 


APPENDIX.  190 

rents,  nor  wrong  thy  neighbor,  nor  commit  adultery,  even 
in  thy  heart. 

"  Neither  be  vain,  lascivious,  proud,  drunken,  revenge- 
ful, or  angry  :  nor  lie,  detract,  backbite,  overreach,  op- 
press, deceive,  or  betray ;  but  watch  vigorously  against  all 
temptation  to  these  things,  as  knowing  that  God  is  pre- 
sent, the  overseer  of  all  thy  ways  and  most  inward 
thoughts,  and  the  avenger  of  his  own  law  upon  the  dis- 
obedient ;  and  thou  wilt  acceptably  serve  God. 

"  Is  it  not  reason,  if  we  expect  the  acknowledgments 
of  those  to  whom  we  are  bountiful,  that  we  should  reve- 
rently pay  ours  to  God,  our  most  munificent  and  constant 
benefactor  ? 

"  The  world  represents  a  rare  and  sumptuous  palace  ; 
mankind  the  great  family  in  it ;  and  God,  the  mighty 
Lord  and  Master  of  it. 

"  We  are  all  sensible  what  a  stately  seat  it  is ;  the 
heavens  adorned  with  so  many  glorious  luminaries  ;  and 
the  earth  v/iih  groves,  plains,  valleys,  hills,  fountains, 
ponds,  lakes,  and  rivers ;  and  variety  of  fruits  and  crea- 
tures for  food,  pleasure  and  profit ;  in  short,  how  noble  a 
house  he  keeps,  and  the  plenty,  and  variety,  and  excel- 
lency of  his  table ;  his  orders,  seasons,  and  suitableness 
of  every  time  and  thing.  But  we  must  be  as  sensible,  or 
17 


194  APPENDIX. 

at  least  ought  to  be,  what  careless  and  idle  servants  we 
are,  and  how  short  and  disproportionablc  our  behaviour 
is  to  his  bounty  and  goodness  ;  how  long  he  bears,  how 
often  he  reprieves,  and  forgives  us  ;  who,  notwithstanding 
our  breach  of  promises,  and  repeated  neglects,  has  not 
yet  been  provoked  to  break  up  house,  and  send  us  to  shift 
for  ourselves.  Should  not  this  great  goodness  raise  a  due 
sense  in  us  of  our  undutifulness,  and  a  resolution  to  alter 
our  course,  and  mend  our  manners ;  that  we  may  be  for 
the  future  more  worthy  communicants  at  our  Maker's  good 
and  great  table  ?  Especially,  since  it  is  not  more  certain 
that  we  deserve  his  displeasure,  than  that  we  shall  feel  it, 
if  we  continue  to  be  unprofitable  servants. 

"  But  though  God  has  replenished  this  world  with 
abundance  of  good  things  for  man's  life  and  comfort,  yet 
they  are  all  but  imperfect  goods.  He  only  is  the  perfect 
good  to  whom  they  point.  But,  alas  !  men  cannot  see  him 
for  them  ;  though  they  should  always  see  him  in  them. 

"  I  have  often  wondered  at  the  unaccountableness  of 
man  in  this,  among  other  things ;  that,  though  he  loves 
changes  so  well,  he  should  care  so  little  to  hear  or  think 
of  his  last,  great,  and,  if  he  pleases,  his  best,  change. 

"  Being,  as  to  our  bodies  composed  of  changeable  ele- 
ments, we,  with  the  world,  are  made  up  of,  and  subsist  by 
revolution  ;  but  our  souls  being  of  another  and  nobler 


APPENDIX.  195 

nature,  we  should   seek  our  rest  in   a  more  enduring 
habitation. 

"  Tiie  truest  end  of  life  is  to  know  the  life  that  never 
ends. 

"  He  that  makes  this  his  care  will  find  it  his  crown 
at  last. 

"  Life  else  were  a  misery,  rather  than  a  pleasure  ;  a 
judgment,  not  a  blessing. 

"  For,  to  know,  regret,  and  resent,  to  desire,  hope,  and 
fear,  more  than  a  beast,  and  not  live  beyond  him,  is  to 

make  a  man  less  than  a  beast. 

•f 

"  It  is  the  amends  of  a  short  and  troublesome  life,  that 
doing  good,  and  suffering  ill,  entitle  man  to  one  longer 
and  better. 

"  This  ever  raises  the  good  man's  hope,  and  gives  him 
tastes  beyond  this  world. 

"  As  it  is  his  aim,  so  none  else  can  hit  the  mark. 

"  Many  make  it  their  speculation,  but  it  is  the  good 
man's  practice. 

"  His  work  keeps  pace  with  his  life,  and  so  leaves  no- 
thing to  be  done  when  he  dies. 


196  APPENDIX. 

*'  And  he  that  lives  to  live  for  ever,  never  fears  dying. 

"  Nor  can  the  means  be  terrible  to  him  that  heartily 
believes  the  end. 

"  For  though  death  be  a  dark  passage,  it  leads  to  im- 
mortality ;  and  that  is  recompense  enough  for  suffer- 
ing of  it. 

**  And  yet  faith  lights  us,  even  through  the  grave  ;  be- 
ing  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen. 

"  And  this  is  the  comfort  of  the  good,  that  the  grave 
cannot  hold  them,  and  that  they  live  as  soon  as  they  die. 

"  For  death  is  no  more  than  a  turning  of  us  over  from 
time  to  eternity. 

"  Nor  can  there  be  a  revolution  without  it )  for  it  sup- 
poses the  dissolution  of  one  form,  in  order  to  the  succes- 
sion of  another. 

"  Death,  then,  being  the  way  and  condition  of  life,  we 
cannot  love  to  live,  if  we  cannot  bear  to  die. 

"  Let  us,  then,  not  cozen  ourselves  with  the  shells  and 
husks  of  things  ;  nor  prefer  form  to  power,  nor  shadows 
to  substance  :  pictures  of  bread  will  not  satisfy  hunger, 
nor  those  of  devotion  please  God. 


APPENDIX.  197 

"  This  world  is  a  form ;  our  bodies  are  forms  ;  and  no 
visible  acts  of  devotion  can  be  without  forms.  But  yet, 
the  less  form  in  religion  the  better,  since  God  is  a  spirit : 
for  the  more  mental  our  worship,  the  more  adequate  to  the 
nature  of  God  ;  the  more  silent,  the  more  suitable  to  the 
language  of  a  spirit. 

"  Words  are  for  others,  not  for  ourselves  :  nor  for  God, 
who  hears  not  as  bodies  do,  but  as  spirits  should. 

"  If  we  would  know  this  dialect,  we  must  learn  of  the 
divine  principle  in  us.  As  we  hear  the  dictates  of  that, 
so  God  hears  us. 

"  There  we  may  see  him  too  in  all  his  attributes ; 
though  but  in  little,  yet  as  much  as  we  can  apprehend  or 
bear  :  for  as  he  is  in  himself,  he  is  incomprehensible,  and 
*  dwelleth  in  that  light  no  eye  can  approach.'  But  in  hie 
mage  we  may  behold  his  glory  :  enough  to  exalt  our  ap- 
)rehensions  of  God,  and  to  instruct  us  in  that  worship 
which  pleaseth  him. 

"  Men  may  tire  themselves  in  a  labyrinth  of  search, 
and  talk  of  God  ;  but  if  we  would  know  him,  indeed,  it 
must  be  from  the  impressions  we  receive  of  him  :  and  the 
softer  our  hearts  are,  the  deeper  and  livelier  those  will 
be  upon  us. 

^*  If  he  has  made  us  sensible  of  his  justice,  by  hisre- 
17* 


198  APPENDIX. 

proof;  of  his  patience,  by  his  forbearance  ;  of  his  mercy, 
by  his  forgiveness  ;  of  his  holiness,  by  the  sanctification 
of  our  hearts  through  his  spirit ;  we  have  a  grounded 
knowledge  of  God.  This  is  experience,  that  specula- 
tion ;  this  enjoyment,  that  report.  In  short,  this  is  undo- 
niable  evidence,  with  the  realities  of  religion,  and  will 
stand  all  winds  and  weathers. 

"  As  our  faith,  so  our  devotion,  should  be  lively.  Cold 
meat  will  not  serve  at  those  repasts. 

"  It  is  a  coal  from  God*s  altar  must  kindle  our  fire  :  and 
without  fire,  true  fire,  no  acceptable  sacrifice. 

"  Open  thou  my  lips,  and  then,"  said  the  royal  pro- 
phet, "  my  mouth  shall  praise  God."     But  not  till  then. 

"  The  preparation  of  the  heart,  as  well  as  the  answer 
of  the  tongue,  is  of  the  Lord  :  and  to  have  it,  our  prayers 
must  be  powerful,  and  our  worship  grateful. 

"  Let  us  choose,  therefore,  to  commune,  where  there  is 
the  warmest  sense  of  religion  ;  where  devotion  exceeds 
formality,  and  practice  most  corresponds  with  profession ; 
and  where  there  is,  at  least,  as  much  charily  as  zeal :  for 
where  this  society  is  to  be  found,  there  shall  we  find  the 
church  of  God. 


APPENDIX.  199 

"  As  good,  so  ill  men,  are  all  of  a  church :  and  every 
body  knows  who  must  be  head  of  it. 

'*  The  humble,  meek,  merciful,  just,  pious,  and  devout 
soul^,  are  every  where  of  one  religion  ;  and  when  death 
has  taken  off  the  mask,  they  will  know  one  another, 
though  the  diverse  liveries  they  wear  here  make  them 
strangers. 

"  Great  allowances  are  made  for  education  and  per- 
sonal weaknesses  ;  but  it  is  a  rule  with  mc,  '  That  man 
is  truly  religious,  that  loves  the  persuasion  he  is  of  for 
the  piety,  rather  than  the  ceremony,  of  it.' 

"  They  that  have  one  end,  can  hardly  disagree  when 
they  meet.  At  least,  their  concern  in  the  greater,  mo- 
derates their  value  for,  and  difference  about,  the  lesser 
things. 

"  It  is  a  sad  reflection,  that  many  men  hardly  have  any 
religion  at  all,  and  most  men  have  none  of  their  own  :  for 
that  which  is  the  religion  of  their  education,  and  not  of 
their  judgment,  is  the  religion  of  another,  and  not  theirs. 

"  To  have  religion  upon  authority,  and  not  upon  con- 
viction, is  like  a  finger- watch,  to  be  set  forwards  or  back- 
wards, as  he  pleases  that  has  it  in  keeping. 


200  APPENDIX. 

"  It  is  a  preposterous  thing,  that  men  "can  venture  their 
souls,  where  they  will  not  venture  their  money  :  for  they 
will  take  their  religion  upon  trust,  but  not  trust  a  synod 
about  the  goodness  of  half  a  crown. 

"  They  will  follow  their  own  judgment  when  their 
money  is  concerned,  whatever  they  do  for  their  souls. 

"  But,  to  be  sure,  that  religion  cannot  be  right,  that  a 
man  is  the  worse  for  having. 

"  No  religion,  is  better  than  an  unnatural  one. 

**  Grace  perfects;  but  never  sours  or  spoils,  nature. 

"  To  be  unnatural  in  defence  of  grace  is  a  contra- 
diction. 

"  Hardly  any  thing  looks  worse  than  to  defend  religion 
by  ways  that  shew  it  has  no  credit  with  us. 

"A  devout  man  is  one  thing,  a  stickler  is  quite  another. 

"When  our  minds  exceed  their  just  bounds,  we  must 
not  discredit  what  wc  wouid  recommendi 

"  To  be  furious  in  religion  is  to  bo  irreligiously 
religious. 


APPENCiX.  201 

"  If  he  that  is  without  bowels  is  not  a  man  ;  how,  then, 
can  he  be  a  Christian  ? 

"  It  were  better  to  be  of  no  church,  than  to  be  bitter 
for  any. 

"  Bitterness  comes  very  near  to  enmity,  and  that  is 
Beelzebub  ;  because  the  perfection  of  wickedness. 

"  A  good  end  cannot  sanctify  evil  means  ;  nor  must  we 
ever  do  evil  that  good  may  come  of  it. 

"  Some  folks  think  they  ma}'^  scold,  rail,  hate,  rob,  and 
kill  too  ;  so  it  be  but  for  God's  sake. 

"  But  nothing  in  us  unlike  him  can  please  him. 

"  It  is  a  great  presumption  to  send  our  passions  upon 
God's  errands,  as  it  is  to  palliate  them  with  God's  name. 

*'  Zeal  dropt  in  charity,  is  good  ;  without  it,  good  for 
nothing  :  for  it  devours  all  it  comes  near. 

"  They  may  first  judge  themselves,  that  presume  to 
censure  others  ;  and  such  will  not  be  apt  to  over-shoot 
the  mark. 

"  We  are  too  ready  to  retaliate,  rather  than  forgive,  or 
gain  by  love  and  information. 


202  APPENDIX. 

"  And  yet  we  could  hurt  no  man  that  we  believe 
loves  us. 

"  Let  us,  then,  try  what  love  will  do :  for  if  men  do 
once  sec  that  we  love  them,  we  should  soon  find  they 
would  not  harm  us. 

"  Force  may  subdue,  but  love  gains  ;  and  he  that  for- 
gives first,  wins  the  laurel. 

*'  If  I  am  even  with  my  enemy,  the  debt  is  paid  ;  but  if 
I  forgive  it,  I  oblige  him  for  ever. 

"  Love  is  the  hardest  lesson  in  Christianity  ;  but,  for 
that  reason,  it  should  be  most  our  care  to  learn  it.  *  Dif- 
ficiliaquae  pulchra.' 

"  It  is  a  severe  rebuke  upon  us,  that  God  makes  us  so 
many  allowances,  and  we  make  so  few  to  our  neighbor  : 
as  if  charitv  liad  nothinir  to  do  with  reli^jion  ;  or  love  with 
faith,  that  ought  to  work  by  it. 

"  1  find  all  sorts  of  people  agree,  whatsoever  were  their 
animosities,  when  humbled  by  the  approaches  of  death ; 
then  they  forgive,  then  they  pray  for,  and  love  one  ano- 
ther :  which  shews  us,  that  it  is  not  our  reason,  but  our 
passion,  that  malccs  and  holds  up  the  feuds  that  reign 
among  men  in  their  health  and  fulness.  They,  therefore, 
that  live  nearest  to  that  state  in  which  they  should  die, 
must  certainly  live  the  best. 


APPENDIX.  203 

"  Did  we  believe  a  final  reckoning  and  judgment,  or 
did  we  think  enough  of  what  we  do  believe,  we  should 
allow  more  love  in  religion  than  we  do  :  since  religion 
itself  is  nothing  else  but  love  to  God  and  man. 

"  '  He  that  lives  in  love,  lives  in  God,^  says  the  beloved 
disciple :  and,  to  be  sure,  a  man  can  live  no  where 
better. 

"  It  is  most  reasonable  men  should  value  that  benefit 
which  is  most  durable.  Now  tongues  shall  cease,  and 
prophesy  fail,  and  faith  shall  be  consummated  in  sight, 
and  hope  in  enjoyment ;  but  love  remains. 

"Love  is  indeed  heaven  upon  earth;  since  heaven 
above  would  not  be  heaven  without  it ;  for  where  there  is 
not  love,  there  is  fear;  but,  'Perfect  love  casts  out  fear.' 
And  yet  we  naturally  fear  most  to  ofiend  what  we  most 
love. 

"  What  we  love,  we  will  hear  ;  what  we  love,  we  will 
trust  :  and  what  we  love,  we  will  serve,  aye,  and  suffer 
for  too.  '  If  you  love  me,'  says  our  blessed  Redeemer, 
*keep  my  commandments.'  V/hy?  Why  then,  he  will 
love  us  :  then  we  shall  be  his  friends  ;  then  he  will  send 
us  the  Comforter";  then,  whatever  we  ask  we  shall  re- 
ceive ;  and  then,  where  he  is  we  shall  be  also,  and  that 
for  ever.  Beliold,  the  fruits  of  love  ;  the  poM'er,  virtue, 
benefit,  andbe.iutv  of  love! 


204  APPENDIX. 

"  Love  is  above  all ;  and  when  it  prevails  ki  us  all,  we 
shall  all  be  lovely,  and  in  love  with  God,  and  one  with 
another.     Amen." 

Such  fire  the  reflections  and  maxims  of  one,  who 
"was  a  mere  thorough  and  consistent  Quaker,"  and 
of  such  this  author  tells  us,  "  if  there  happens  to  be  a 
state  eternal,  he  will  wish  he  had  never  been  born." 
And  these  are  submitted  to  the  reader,  that  he  may 
judge  of  the  spirit,  which  can  call  such  a  man,  a 
"  minister  of  the  devil,"  an  "  inspired  monster,"  "  in- 
fidelily  in  drab,^^  and  kindred  appellations.  And  with 
such  opinions  as  these  extracts  contain,  what  must  be 
the  infatuation  of  this  reverend  author,  who  can  thus 
solemnly  anathematize  the  system,  and  the  persons 
who  hold  it. 

"  I  call  heaven  and  earth  to  w^itness,  that  Quaker- 
ism IS  NOT  Christianity  :  and  while,  as  a  witness,  I 
testify  against  them  !  in  the  name  of  my  own  glo- 
rious Master,  I  ask  all  men  to  tell  what  are  thew pro- 
testations worth  of  respect  for  the  Scriptures?" 

And  we  cannot  better  conclude  this  volume  than 
by  the  following  paragraph  from  another  of  the 
works  of  this  same  Wm.  Penn,  which  the  reader  may 
compare  with  the  protestations  of  this  reverend  au- 
thor, that  the  Quakers  from  the  beginning,  the  whole 
of  them,  are  cardinal  heretics,  and  that  they  "  all 
agree,  in  all  ages,  in  disparaging  the  volume  of  God, 
and  denying  the  paramount  authority  of  the  scrip- 


APPENDIX.  205 

tu7'es,  claiming  a  higher  inspiration  for  their  own 
writings."  This  is  one  of  their  "  worthless  /"  "  pro- 
testations of  respect  for  the  scriptures;"  and  this  au- 
thor tells  us  of  such  sentiments,  "  It  nauseates  my  soul 
to  hear  or  read  of  a  Friend  praising  the  scriptures  r 
Such  a  calumny  deserves  the  execration  of  the  spe- 
cies ;  and,  for  a  Christian  minister  to  make  it  a  "  part 
OF  HIS  PIETY  to  detest"  those  whom  he  thus  vilifies, 
is  an  anomaly,  which  the  reader  may  interpret  at  his 
leisure. 

In  a  letter  to  his  children,  entitled  "  Fruits  of  a 
Father's  Love,"  Wm.  Penn  adopts  the  following  lan- 
guage, and  this  work  is  of  high  estimation  with  the 
"  orthodox,"  against  whom,  the  author  before  us 
"  especially"  aims  the  allegation  of  "  disparaging  the 
volume  of  God^ 

''  Having  thus  expressed  myself  to  you,  my  dear  child- 
ren,  as  to  the  things  of  God,  his  truth  and  kingdom,  I 
refer  you  to  his  light,  grace,  spirit,  and  truth  within  you, 
and  to  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  truth  without  you,  which 
from  my  youth  I  loved  to  read,  and  were  ever  blessed 
to  me;  and  which  I  charge  you  to  read  daily ;  the 
Old  Testament  for  history  chiefly,  the  Psalms  for  medi^- 
tation  and  devotion,  the  Prophets  for  comfort  and  hope, 
but  especially  the  New  Testament  for  doctrine,  faith  and 
worship  :  for  they  were  given  forth  by  holy  men  of  God 
in  divers  ages,  as  they  were  moved  of  the  Holy  Spirit^ 
18 


206  APPENDIX. 

and  are  the  declared  and  revealed  mind  and  will  of 
the  Holy  God  to  mankind  under  divers  dispensations, 
and  they  are  certainly  able  to  make  the  man  of  God  per- 
fect, through  faith,  unto  salvation;  being  such  a  true  and 
clear  testimony  to  the  salvation  that  is  of  God,  through 
Christ,  the  second  Adam,  the  light  of  the  world,  the 
quickening  Spirit,  who  is  full  of  grace  and  truth,  whose 
light,  grace,  spirit,  and  truth,  bear  witness  to  them  in 
every  sensible  soul,  as  they  frequently,  plainly,  and  so- 
lemnly bear  testimony  to  the  light,  spirit,  grace  and  truth, 
both  in  himself  and  in  and  to  his  people,  to  their  sanctifi- 
cation,  justification,  redemption,  and  consolation,  and  in 
all  men  to  theirvisitation,  reproof  and  conviction  in  their 
evil  ways  :  I  say,  having  thus  expressed  myself  in  gene- 
ral, I  refer  you,  my  dear  children,  to  the  light  and  spirit 
of  Jesus,  that  is  within  you,  and  to  the  scriptures  of 
truth  without  you,  and  such  other  testimonies  to  the  one 
same  eternal  truth,  as  have  been  borne  in  our  day  ;  and 
shall  now  descend  to  particulars,  that  you  may  more  di- 
rectly apply  what  I  have  said  in  general,  both  as  to  your 
religious  and  civil  tlirection  in  your  pilgrimage  upon 
earth." 

"  I  have  chosen  to  speak  in  the  language  of  the  Scrip- 
ture ;  which  is  that  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  truth 
and  wisdom,  that  wanted  no  art  or  direction  of  man  to 
speak  by,  and  express  itself  fitly  to  man's  understanding." 

Such  are  the  doctrines  believed  and  taught  by  pri- 


APPENDIX.  207 

mitive  Friends,  in  Europe  and  America,  and  these 
extracts  are  regarded  by  the  present  "  orthodox" 
party  in  this  country,  as  containing  the  opinions,  con- 
stituting Quakerism  distinctively.  And  it  is  on  ac- 
count of  a  real  or  supposed  denial  or  evasion  of 
these  doctrinal  peculiarities,  that  the  existing  divisions 
have  occurred,  origiiiating  with  the  late  Elias  Hicks. 
And  it  is  very  manifest  to  all,  who  have  made  obser- 
vations on  the  subjects  of  controversy  between  the 
two  parties,  that  those,  called  "  orthodox,"  are  so 
strenuous  in  their  attachment  to  the  Christianity  of 
the  scriptures,  that  they  refuse  to  fellowship  those 
who  deny  any  of  its  fundamental  doctrines  ; — and 
that  they  are  prepared  to  "  suffer  the  loss  of  all 
things,"  if  need  be,  rather  than  to  own  or  acknow- 
ledge the  "  cardinal  heresies,"  of  wliich  they  believe 
they  have  convicted  Elias  Hicks  and  his  adherents. 
Surely,  nothing  short  of  a  deep  and  full  conviction  on 
the  part  of  the  former,  that  the  points  of  difterence 
involve  "  the  truth  of  God,"  an4  the  "  salvation  of 
the  soul,"  could  have  influenced  them  in  every  part 
of  this  country,  to  engage  in  this  controversy,  and 
submit  their  "  rights  of  property"  to  the  decision  of 
our  legal  tribunals  ; — while  at  the  same  time,  in  their 
private  relations,  thousands  of  them  have  suffered 
from  lacerated  feehngs,  for  conscience  sake,  to  an  ex- 
tent, little  short  of  martyrdom.  I  firmly  believe,  that 
the  moral  courage  they  have  exhibited,  the  firmness 
and  patience  which  they  have  exemplified,  and  the 
wrongs  they  have  suffered,  are  all  so  many  evidences 
that  the  Friends,  called  orthodox,  are  justly  entitled 


208  APPENDIX. 

to  the  character  of  Christians,  distinctively,  and 
ought  to  elicit  in  their  behalf,  the  countenance,  the 
sympathy,  and  the  prayers  of  every  lover  of  Bible 
Christianity. 

Still,  however,  I  judge  not  their  opponents,  nor  "ofe- 
nounce  them  all^''  either  as  "  apostates,  hypocrites,  or 
infidels."  I,  too,  knevv^  Elias  Hicks,  and  have  heard 
him  preach  sentiments  and  doctrines,  which  my  "  love 
of  Christianity"  inspired  me  to  condemn.  I  believe 
he  was  in  a  great  fundamental  error  on  more  than 
one  of  the  essential  doctrines  of  Christianity.  And  I 
entertain  the  same  opinion  of  the  great  and  good 
Francis  Xavier,  the  apostle  to  the  Indies,  who,  as  a 
Roman  Catholic,  held  and  taught  the  shocking  heresy 
of  transubstantiation.  Indeed,  I  hesitate  not  to  affirm, 
that  I  have  heard  ministers  of  the  gospel,  of  the  Uni- 
versalist.  Unitarian,  and  Calvinistic  churches,  includ- 
ing the  reverend  author  himself  in  this  latter  class, 
inculcating  doctrines  which  I  believe  to  be  cardinally 
and  fundamentally  erroneous.  But,  nevertheless,  I 
never  found  it  in  my  heart,  however  I  might  condemn 
their  errors,  to  denounce  them  and  their  votaries, 
personally  and  collectively,  as  "  a  community  of  infi- 
dels ! — only  they  would  have  us  think  that  they  love 
Christianity,"  thus  branding  them  with  the  character 
of"  hypocrites  and  impostors,"  as  well  as  that  of  in- 
fidels ; — for  I  have  learned  the  truth  of  the  maxim  so 
earnestly  commended  to  the  author  in  a  former  part 
of  this  work,  that  "  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  be 
muddledin  his  judgment^  and  yet  sound  in  his  expe- 


APPENDIX.  209 

rience."  This  may  have  been  the  case  with  Elias 
Hicks ;  for,  in  the  language  of  our  author,  we  would 
admit,  "  It  is  difficult  to  say,  with  how  much  en-or, 
ignorance,  and  eccentricity,  piety  may  co-exist."  And 
that  very  many  of  his  followers,  who  belong  to  the 
Hicksite  party,  so  called,  do  nevertheless,  abhor  the 
heresies  of  which  we  think  them  guilty,  may  very 
possibly  be  the  fact.  And  if  the  pious  among  them 
should  be  convinced  that  their  ministry  held  either 
"  mysticism"  or  "  heresies,"  which  are  incompatible 
with  Christianity,  they,  too,  would  come  out  from 
among  them.  But  they  will  never  be  convinced  of 
error  by  the  author's  railing, — nor  can  they  ever  mis- 
take the  spirit  under  which  his  book  is  written,  for  the 
spirit  of  Christianity.  For,  if  they  be,  as  he  charges 
them,  and  Friends  universal,  "  a  community  of  infi- 
dels," such  publications,  under  the  name  of  Chris- 
tianity, will  infallibly  tend  to  strengthen  their  unbe- 
lief. And  I,  too,  might  "  call  heaven  and  earth  to 
witness,"  that  Calvinism  "  is  not  Christianity  ;"  but  I 
cannot  consent  to  say,  as  the  author  says  of  the  per- 
sons of  the  Quakers,  "  I  testify  against  them,  in  the 
name  of  my  glorious  Master,"  and  "  I  would  de- 
nounce them,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  if  I  stood 
alone,  and  all  men  forsook  mo  in  the  principled  de- 
testation of  thoir  abominable  doctrines  !"  And  it  is 
because  I  separate  the  persons  of  Calvinists  from  the 
errors  of  their  system,  and  cordially  believe  that  very 
many  of  them  "  are  muddled  in  their  judgment,  while- 
they  are  sound  in  their  experience."  And,  as  the 
hideous  features  of  ultra-Calvinism,  have  been  for 
18* 


210  APPENDIX. 

many  years  hiding  their  deformities,  as  they  are  ex- 
posed to  view  by  the  outward  Hght  of  Bible  Chris- 
tianity ;  so,  also,  while  the  errors  of  the  head  are  thus 
corrected,  I  have  good  hope,  that  the  "  inward  lighf^ 
will  succeed  in  correcting  the  errors  of  the  heart. 
Such  is  the  foundation  of  my  hope  for  the  author,  and 
those  who  have  a  "  oneness  of  theological  sentiment 
with  him  ;"  and  the  signs  of  the  times  are  singularly 
ominous  of  this  result. 

"  Quakerism  will  not  go  down  now%  because  he 
writes  ;"  for  such  "  carnal  weapons"  as  he  employs, 
have  been  long  wielded  against  error,  with  no  other 
result  than  that  of  recoiling  on  those  who  use  them. 
Nay,  could  the  author  assume  the  legislative  and  ex- 
ecutive power  as  easily  as  he  has  the  judicial,  and 
carry  out  his  anathemas  against  them  with  fire  and 
faggot,  by  an  auto-de-fe;  or,  like  his  ancestors  in  New 
England,  should  he  transport  the  Quakers,  cut  off 
their  ears,  or  hang  them,  both  men  and  women,  for 
their  "  awful,  good-looking,  pestilential  heresies,"  as 
he  calls  them  ;  still  he  could  only  hope  for  success  in 
making  hypocrites  ;  for  Christianity  disclaims  all 
weapons  but  those  which  belong  to  "  the  etherial 
armor  of  the  Almighty." 

It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  author  did  not 
expect  that  "  Quakerism  would  go  down,  because  he 
writes,"  yet,  nevertheless,  he  evidently  expected  that 
Calvinism,  which  he  calls  "  the  identity  itself  of 
Christianity  would  go  up ;  not  only  above  Quaker- 


APPENDIX.  211 

ism,  but  above  the  system  of  "  all  other  Arminians." 
In  this  ulterior  object  of  his  huge  volume,  he  will  also 
be  disappointed,  for  that  "  one  system"  for  which  he 
most  "  benevolently  desires  Quakerism  to  be  extermi- 
nated," because  of  its  "  Arminian  view,"  has  been 
characterized  from  the  beginning  by  the  use  of  these 
same  "  carnal  weapons,"  against  the  "  inward  light'* 
of  Christianity.  He  need  not  surely  be  told  of  the 
fate  of  literary  and  theological  Goliahs,  who,  like 
himself,  coming  forth  to  battle  with  "  gigantic  stride 
and  panoply  of  war,"  have,  nevertheless,  fallen  in  the 
contest,  before  the  shepherd's  boys,  whose  '•  inward 
light"  had  armed  them  with  the  sling  and  stone  of 
truth!  "  The  battle  is  not  to  the  strong,  nor  the  race 
to  the  swift ;" — "  not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by 
my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord."  "  Seest  thou  a  man  wise 
in  his  own  conceit,  there  is  more  hope  of  a  fool  thaii 
of  him." 


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